New Delhi: Indian tennis veteran Rohan Bopanna, one of only four Indians to win a Grand Slam title, announced his retirement from professional tennis on Saturday, concluding a career that lasted more than two decades on the demanding ATP Tour. The 45-year-old Bopanna’s final appearance on the Tour took place at the Paris Masters, where he teamed up with Kazakhstan’s Alexander Bublik, but they lost in the opening round earlier this week. In an emotional statement titled “A Goodbye… But Not The End,” Bopanna revealed he was “officially hanging up racquet,” reflecting on a journey that brought him from his hometown of Coorg to prestigious stages in world tennis.
“Starting my journey from a small town of Coorg in India, chopping blocks of wood to strengthen my serve, jogging through coffee estates to build stamina and chasing dreams on cracked courts to standing under the lights of the biggest arenas in the world—it all feels surreal,” Bopanna explained. He concluded his career in India after the Paris Olympics last year and had previously announced his retirement from the Davis Cup in 2023, playing his last tie against Morocco in Lucknow.