In recent times, Indian tennis hasn’t had many success stories. But in the past week, it has had two crowning glories, both courtesy Rohan Bopanna.
On Wednesday, with his quarterfinal victory at the Australian Open, the 43-year-old guaranteed himself of the No.1 spot in world doubles rankings, the oldest man to occupy the coveted position. On Saturday, he won his maiden men’s doubles Major to become the oldest to do so.
Sporting excellence in the fifth decade of one’s life is not commonplace. It’s a period when age, along with physical frailties, makes the end of the career feel nigh, forces athletes to reflect and be nostalgic about the good old past, and think about passing on the lessons thus learnt to future generations.
