Exclusive
Rohan Bopanna has had the most amazing year and he isn’t done yet. From making the semi finals at Wimbledon to going one better at the US Open and making the finals with Matt Ebden, the 43 years 6 month old star, has also created a world record in the process. He is now the oldest man to play a US Open Men’s Doubles final in the Open era having surpassed Daniel Nestor’s record. And later today he will turn up one last time for India in the Davis Cup bringing to a close an illustrious career spanning nearly two decades. Bopanna is also looking forward to the Asian Games in China starting this week where he had won a gold medal partnering Divij Sharan in 2018. He opens up on the year gone by, his exemplary show of sportsmanship at the US Open and his thoughts on the Asian Games in this conversation with Boria Majumdar.
Excerpts:
Boria- Let me start with that point in the finals. No one except you had realised that the ball had brushed your elbow. In fact, the umpire had awarded the point to you and Matt and you walked up to her and forfeited the point. Had you not, it could have been a turning point in the match. Your thoughts on the decision to do so?
Rohan Bopanna- That’s how I have been raised. Yes it became 0-30 and was a critical time in the match. But then sportsmanship is beyond a final win or a loss. You will win and you will lose but how do you sleep well if you don’t respect yourself. I am happy to lose many more finals but I am not prepared to lose my own self respect in my own eyes. If I did not concede the point and kept quiet, I wouldn’t be able to sleep at night because I would have cheated. And that’s not the way I have played sport ever. The umpire was stunned when I went and informed her. Even after hearing me, she called out the score as 15 all. Again I walked up to her and said the ball had brushed my arm and that’s when she asked me if I wanted to forfeit the point! I said yes and she looked stunned to be honest.
Boria- You have had an incredible year. And you are nearing 44. What’s the secret?
Rohan- The first thing is to have a partner who you can play with for the whole year. It is not pleasant to keep calling people and checking if they want to play together or calling up practice courts to check who is free. Now that we are playing together for the whole year we know what it can do to a pair and how you can achieve results that you want to achieve. It has made a fundamental difference to us both.
Second, I want to give a lot of credit to my physio from Belgium, Rebecca, who travels with me and helps in my recovery. I can tell you I spend much more time on the recovery table than on the tennis court. I know if I am fit I will surely do well in match situations.
Third and most important is the role of my wife. It is not easy to have a young family and keep traveling the world following someone. Yet she has done that and it has meant the world to me. In New York our daughter wasn’t well and for the first time in 11 years she wasn’t there in the stadium to see me play the first match. We decided she should stay with our daughter. These things aren’t easy to deal with and I am glad I have been able to string together some good performances.
Boria- Does age even matter as in do you even think about it?
Rohan- People keep reminding you these days. Just the other day when I landed in Bengaluru a couple came up to me and said what you are doing for people over 40 is brilliant and that I have been able to inspire them. You love to hear such things and if I am able to make a small difference to people’s lives, I will feel hugely privileged.
Boria- You will be playing your last Davis Cup Game later today. Playing for India has always been something you have prided yourself for. Even on tour it is always Rohan Bopanna, India.
Rohan Bopanna- Oh Absolutely. We are all here to make a difference to our country. That’s what we are trying to do. We stand on the court as Indians representing the tri colour. And it means the world to me to be able to do something for my country. I have loved playing Davis Cup for India and have always given it my best and I will attempt to do so one final time in my last match. Playing for India in front of your home fans is a very different experience and we are privileged to have Indian fans supporting us across the world. That’s when you feel fulfilled as a player.
Boria- Within a week we have the Asian Games and yet again India will be looking at you for a medal.
Rohan- The last time I had won the gold medal for India while playing with Divij Sharan. I am aware that these multi discipline games matter a great deal to our people in India and it is important we put up a very good show. I will yet again do my best to ensure we win the maximum number of medals for India. I still need to know more about how we are going about it but one thing is for sure- there will never be any dearth of effort. When you are walking out on to the court to play for your country-whatever the competition may be, it is imperative you give it your all. That’s what defines you as a player and that’s what I will do in Hangzhou.