India’s Rohan Bopanna on Thursday became the oldest man to reach a Grand Slam final after he partnered Australia’s Matthew Ebden to the title clash at the US Open.
The sixth-seeded Indo-Australian pair beat the French pair of Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Nicolas Mahut 7-6 (3), 6-2 to set up a clash with third seeds Rajeev Ram and Joe Salisbury in the final.
At 43 years and six months, Bopanna broke the record for oldest player to reach a Major final which was earlier held by Daniel Nestor, who reached a final at 43 years and four months.
On Thursday, Bopanna and Ebden got off to a shaky start nearly losing their serve in the first game before eventually being broke to trail 2-3. However, they got a break back to level the set at 4-4. Neither pair was able to break the other’s serve as the first set went into a tie-break.
Bopanna and Ebden broke the French pair’s serve twice in the tie-break to clinch the first set.
The second set was a more straightforward affair as the experienced Indo-Australian pair broke Herbert and Mahut’s serve twice as they clinched the set 6-2 and booked their place in the final.
Friday’s final will be the second men’s doubles final Bopanna has reached in his career. The Indian’s only other appearance at a Major doubles final also came at Flushing Meadows in 2010 when he and Pakistani partner Aisam-ul-haq Qureshi lost to Bob and Mike Bryan.
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