India's Rohan Bopanna (R) and Australia's Matthew Ebden celebrate after victory against Italy's Simone Bolelli and Andrea Vavassori during their men's doubles final match on day 14 of the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne on January 27, 2024. (Photo by WILLIAM WEST / AFP)
Melbourne: India's Rohan Bopanna celebrated becoming the oldest number one in men's doubles history by winning the Australian Open with his partner Matthew Ebden on Saturday.
The second seeds claimed a 7-6 (7/0), 7-5 victory over unseeded Italian pair Simone Bolelli and Andrea Vavassori on Rod Laver Arena.
It was their maiden title as a team and Bopanna's first in men's doubles after 60 previous Grand Slams -- a record for most attempts before winning.
The 43-year-old will become the oldest number one in men's doubles history when the new rankings are released next week.
Bopanna's only previous Grand Slam win was at the 2017 French Open in mixed doubles, with Canada's Gabriela Dabrowski.
It was Ebden's second men's doubles title after winning Wimbledon in 2022 with fellow Australian Max Purcell.
