Indian tennis icon Rohan Bopanna, a veteran of three Olympic Games, has announced his retirement from the national team following a first-round exit in the men’s doubles event at the Paris 2024 Olympics on Monday.
“This will definitely go down as my last event for the country,” world No. 4 Bopanna, who lost his men’s doubles opener with N Sriram Balaji earlier in the day, told PTI.
Despite his retirement from national duties, the 44-year-old Bopanna has stated he will continue to compete on the ATP circuit.
“I totally understand where I am and now, I am just going to be enjoying the tennis circuit as long as that goes,” the Indian tennis player added.
Before the Paris Olympics, Bopanna last played for India at the Asian Games in Hangzhou last year, winning the gold medal with Rutuja Bhosale in the mixed doubles.
His illustrious 21-year Davis Cup career also ended earlier in September, after helping India secure a 4-1 victory over Morocco in the Davis Cup World Group II tie.
“This is already a big bonus for where I am. I never even thought that I’d be representing India for two decades,” the two-time Asian Games gold medallist noted while reflecting on his career. “Right from 2002, making my debut and 22 years later, I am still getting to represent India. I’m extremely proud of that.”
Bopanna made his Olympic debut at London 2012, where he partnered Mahesh Bhupathi for the men’s doubles and reached the second round.
At Rio 2016, Bopanna and Sania Mirza missed out on a historic medal in the mixed doubles after losing the bronze match. Bopanna and Leander Paes, India’s only Olympic medallist in tennis, paired for the men’s doubles but faltered in the opening round. Bopanna could not make it to the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
At the start of 2024, Bopanna, at 43 years and nine months, became the oldest man to win a Grand Slam title in the Open Era of tennis following his Australian Open victory with his partner Matthew Ebden.
The Australian Open win was Bopanna’s second Gland Slam title. He won the mixed doubles event at the French Open in 2017. Bopanna and Ebden also made the French Open semi-finals last month.
