"It's not a goodbye": Bopanna, a doubles stalwart, announces his retirement
Rohan Bopanna announced in the last few hours that he is ending his career at the age of 45. The Indian has primarily excelled in doubles for over twenty years.
A big name in doubles, Bopanna announced his retirement this Saturday. A professional since 2003, he played mainly in doubles although he reached a career-high singles ranking of World No. 213 in 2007. A two-time finalist at the US Open and the winner of the 2024 Australian Open alongside Matthew Ebden, he was also a two-time finalist at the Tour Finals, in 2012 (with Mahesh Bhupathi) and in 2015 (with Florin Mergea).
Bopanna, 45, a former World No. 3 in men's doubles, also triumphed six times in Masters 1000 tournaments during his career and won the Roland-Garros mixed doubles title in 2017 with Gabriela Dabrowski.
"A goodbye, but not the end. How do you say goodbye to something that gave your life meaning? After twenty unforgettable years on the tour, however, the time has come... I will put away the racquets for good. As I write this, my heart is heavy and grateful.
I started my journey in a small town called Coorg in India, where I cut pieces of wood to strengthen my serve, jogged through coffee plantations to build my endurance, all with the aim of pursuing my dreams on cracked courts so I could stand under the spotlight on the greatest tennis courts in the world. All of this feels unreal to me.
Tennis was not simply a game for me. It gave me purpose when I was lost, gave me strength when I was broken, and belief when the world doubted me.
Every time I stepped onto the court, it taught me perseverance, the resilience to get back up and to fight again when something deep inside me said I couldn't go on. And, more than anything, it reminded me of why I started and who I am. […]
Representing India has been the greatest honor of my life. Every time I stepped onto the court with the tricolor flag next to my name, I felt its pride and its worth. Every serve, every point, every match, I played for that flag, for that feeling, for my country.
Thank you, India. I will retire from competition, but my story with tennis is not over. This game has given me so much, and I want to give back to it by helping young dreamers from small towns believe that their beginnings do not define their limits, that with belief, hard work, and heart, anything is possible.
My gratitude is endless and my love for this beautiful game will never fade. This is not a goodbye, it's a thank you to all the people who shaped, guided, supported, and loved me. You are all a part of this story, you are all a part of me," Bopanna notably wrote on his X account (formerly Twitter) in the last few hours.
