US Open: Bopanna sets record as oldest man to reach Grand Slam final
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New York: Thursday on Louis Armstrong Stadium here became special for India when its doubles star Rohan Bopanna created a world record for being the oldest male player to reach the Grand Slam final.
Bopanna and his partner Matthew Ebden of Australia reached the men's doubles final at the US Open here.
The sixth-seeded pair defeated the French pair of Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Nicolas Mahut 7-6 (3), 6-2 in a semifinal clash that lasted 1 hour 34 minutes.
In the process, Bopanna at 43 years and 6 months continued to defy age.
Bopanna, the fourth Indian player to win a Grand Slam when he claimed the 2017 French Open mixed doubles crown with Gabriela Dabrowski, beat the record held by Daniel Nestor of Canada, who had done the same at the age of 43 years and 4 months.
In doubles rankings Bopanna is currently ranked 14th.
This is the second time that Bopanna has reached the men's doubles final at the US Open, repeating his 2010 feat with his Pakistani partner Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi.
In doubles, Bopanna, who has won 24 career titles, has a win-loss record of 482–359 (57.3%) in ATP World Tour and Grand Slam main-draw matches, and in the Davis Cup.He and Matthew Ebden will next play the winner of the second semifinal between the third-seeded pair of Andy Ram/Joe Salisbury and second-seeded Ivan Dodig/Austin Krajicek in the final.
With inputs from IANS