Australian Matt Ebden and his Indian partner Rohan Bopanna continue their winning run at Australian Open 2024.
Melbourne, Australia, 22 January 2024 | Leigh Rogers
Matt Ebden and Rohan Bopanna have moved one step closer in their quest to win the Australian Open 2024 men’s doubles title.
The second seeds secured their place in the quarterfinals with a hard-fought 7-6(8) 7-6(4) victory today against Croatian Nikola Mektic and his Dutch partner Wesley Koolhof at Kia Arena.
World No.4 Ebden and world No.3 Bopanna survived a fierce challenge from the 13th seeds in the third-round clash, recovering from a 1-4 deficit in the opening set and then saving a set point before clinching it in a tiebreak.
They showed their fighting spirit again in the second set, clawing back from a 2-4 deficit.
“We’ve been through a lot of tough moments together the last 12 months,” Ebden said of their ability to navigate such challenges.
“We keep learning from them, getting stronger and just try to stay present and fight.”
This effort sees 36-year-old Ebden advance to the Australian Open quarterfinals for the third time in the past four years.
It is a career-best run for 43-year-old Bopanna, who is making his 17th consecutive appearance at the tournament.
The duo, who teamed up for the first time in January last year, have now won 12 of their past 14 Grand Slam matches.
After reaching the Wimbledon semifinals and US Open final last season, they are hoping to better these results at Melbourne Park.
“We’re playing well and fighting strong,” Ebden warned.
Argentines Maximo Gonzalez and Andres Molteni, the sixth seeds, await in the quarterfinals.
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Aussies in action – Australian Open
TODAY’S RESULTS
Men’s doubles, third round
[2] Matt Ebden (AUS)/Rohan Bopanna (IND) d [14] Wesley Koolhof (NED)/Nikola Mektic (CRO) 7-6(8) 7-6(4)
Mixed doubles, second round
[WC] Jaimee Fourlis (AUS)/Andrew Harris (AUS) d [1] Storm Hunter (AUS)/Matt Ebden (AUS) 6-4 7-6(6)
[WC] Olivia Gadecki (AUS)/Marc Polmans (AUS) d Aldila Sutjiadi (INA)/Michael Venus (NZL) 5-7 6-3 [10-6]
Heather Watson (GBR)/Joe Salisbury (GBR) d [8] Ellen Perez (AUS)/Jean-Julien Rojer (NED) 6-3 6-2
> READ: Aussie wildcards Fourlis and Harris upset top seeds
COMING UP
Men’s doubles, quarterfinals
[2] Matt Ebden (AUS)/Rohan Bopanna (IND) v [6] Maximo Gonzalez (ARG/Andres Molteni (ARG)
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