Australian Open 2024 - Indo-Aussie pair of Rohan Bopanna and Mathew Ebden survive first-round scare

After Sumit Nagal ignited excitement among Indian fans with his first-round victory at the Australian Open 2024, it was time for the experienced campaigner Rohan Bopanna and his Australian partner Matthew Ebden to kick off their first-round men's doubles event. However, the task was far from easy, as the second-seeded pair found themselves facing a tough challenge from Australians James Duckworth and Marc Polmans. 

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Despite the efforts, the Indo-Australian pair secured a hard-fought victory, advancing to the second round of the Australian Open with a 7-6, 4-6, 7-6 win.

Bopanna and Ebden were initially trailing 0-5 in the opening set but they went on to orchestrate a superb comeback, eventually claiming the set 7-6. In the second and third sets, only one break of serve occurred, favouring the Australians in the second set.

The third set extended to a match tie-break, where Bopanna and Ebden showcased their dominance, securing a 10-2 victory and sealing their place in the next round.

While this match has concluded, Sumit Nagal continues to be in action in a hard-fought battle against China's Shang Juncheng. Nagal clinched the first set 6-2 but faced setbacks in the next two, losing 6-3 and 7-5. Nagal will be aiming to stage a comeback if he wishes to advance to the next round of the tournament.

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In the first round, Nagal showcased an impressive performance by defeating World No. 31 Alexander Bublik with a score of 6-4, 6-2, 7-6(5). This victory marked a significant milestone as it was the first time in 35 years (since 1989) that an Indian player, irrespective of gender, defeated a seeded opponent at a Grand Slam. Ranked 139th in the world, Nagal stands as only the third Indian since 2000 to secure a win at the Australian Open.

Since Nagal's achievement this year, no other Indian player has reached the singles main draw of a Grand Slam.