Matt Ebden is the first Australian in almost 23 years to top the ATP Tour doubles rankings.
Perth, Australia, 26 February 2024 | Leigh Rogers
Matt Ebden achieves a major career milestone today, officially becoming the world’s No.1 doubles player.
“It’s a little bit surreal,” the 36-year-old from Perth told tennis.com.au.
Ebden overtakes his Indian partner Rohan Bopanna in the latest instalment of the ATP Tour doubles rankings.
“I’m a little bit lost for words,” he admitted.
“In the past two, three years when I started on this doubles track, I always thought I’d have this little sub-career in doubles and try to win all the Slams and get a real high ranking. I thought it would be great if I could get to the top 10.
“I quickly realised I’m probably one of the best doubles players in the world, if not the best. So I wanted to try to aim for that and get to that No.1 ranking.”
Ranked No.37 at this time last year, Ebden has soared up the rankings since establishing a successful partnership with Bopanna.
The duo have won 15 of their past 17 Grand Slam matches, which includes their Australian Open 2024 triumph, as well as a runner-up finish at last year’s US Open and a semifinal appearance at Wimbledon.
They also contested a tour-leading four ATP 1000 finals last season.
Becoming only the fifth Australian to top the men’s doubles rankings, Ebden said his rapid rise had “surprised me in the best way ever”.
“I’ve done my time and the hard slog all around the world for nearly 20 years and it’s very, very difficult,” said Ebden, who peaked at world No.39 in singles in 2018.
“But looking back now at how quickly things have happened for me on the doubles front, winning multiple Slams and being world No.1 within two to three years of taking doubles really seriously and focusing on it, I couldn’t be happier.
“I probably would have thought it would have happened sometime in the next two, three or four years. For all of it to happen super quick, I’m really, really happy about it.”
At 36, Ebden becomes the third oldest man to debut at world No.1 in doubles. Only Bopanna (at age 43 last month) and American Rajeev Ram (at age 38 in 2022) were older when they achieved the feat.
“I definitely don’t take anything for granted,” Ebden said. “Which makes it even sweeter to be winning Slams, getting to No.1 and getting those big major life goals ticked off now.”
There’s no shortage…
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at Tennis.com.au – Tennis Australia…