2024-02-22 04:31:42
New Delhi: India’s veteran tennis player Rohan Bopanna met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday. He presented the racket to the PM with which he won the Australian Open 2024 title last week. In his social media post, Bopanna shared pictures with Modi holding the Australian Open Cup and a racket and thanked him for praising his victory in Melbourne.
Bopanna wrote on social media platform X, ‘I had the privilege of meeting our honorable Prime Minister Modi ji today. This honor is huge for me and I am proud to present the racket that made me World No. 1 and Australian Grand Slam Champion. Your affection has inspired and encouraged me.
Modi also praised Bopanna for making India proud at the Australian Open and wished him all the best for future tournaments. Modi wrote in response to Bopanna’s post – Nice to meet you. Your achievement makes India proud and your dedication inspires many. Best wishes for your future.
The 43-year-old Bengaluru-born Bopanna has become only the fourth Indian player after legends Sania Mirza, Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi to win a Grand Slam title and top the ATP rankings in doubles. Bopanna also created history by winning the mixed doubles gold medal with Rutuja Bhosale at the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou.
Bopanna, who won his first Grand Slam title at the French Open in 2017, has been in great form recently on the ATP Tour. His partner Matthew Ebden had recently suffered defeats at the Paris Masters and Adelaide International, but they were dominant at Melbourne Park in the two weeks of the Australian Open.
The Bopanna-Ebden pair registered a thrilling 7-6, 7-5 win against unseeded Italian pair Andre Vavasori and Simone Bolelli at the Rod Laver Arena. Both Bopanna and Ebden took advantage of their experience to win the first set tiebreaker 7-0 and looked too strong for their opponents in the second set.