Yuki Bhambri Set to Become India’s New Doubles No.1 After Defeating Rohan Bopanna

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Posted by NewAdmin on 2025-03-24 08:55:00 |

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India’s tennis landscape is witnessing a significant shift as Yuki Bhambri is set to become the country’s new No.1 doubles player after a crucial victory over Rohan Bopanna at the Miami Open 2025. Bhambri, partnering Portugal’s Nuno Borges, secured a hard-fought 6-4, 3-6, 10-7 win over Bopanna and Croatia’s Ivan Dodig in the first round.

End of an Era: Bopanna’s 286-Week Reign Ends

This victory has propelled Bhambri to No.29 in the Live ATP Doubles Rankings, surpassing Bopanna, who has dropped to No.43. The 45-year-old Bopanna had dominated Indian doubles tennis since October 7, 2019, maintaining the top spot for an incredible 286 consecutive weeks. A veteran of Indian tennis, Bopanna has won 26 ATP doubles titles, including two Grand Slam titles and six Masters 1000 crowns. His 2024 Miami Open victory with Matthew Ebden made him the oldest player to win a Masters title.

Bhambri’s Rise in Doubles Tennis

Bhambri’s journey to the top has been impressive. Once a promising singles player, he was a former junior world No.1 and the 2009 Australian Open Junior Champion, becoming the first Indian to win a junior Grand Slam in Melbourne. Despite breaking into the ATP singles top 100 twice, with a career-high ranking of 83 in April 2018, injuries led him to shift focus solely to doubles in 2023.

His decision has paid off, as Bhambri recently won his first ATP 500 title at the Dubai Tennis Championships 2025 with Australia’s Alexei Popyrin. The duo staged a remarkable comeback in the final, saving four match points to defeat Harri Heliovaara and Henry Patten, the reigning US Open and Australian Open champions.

Looking Ahead in Miami Open

Bhambri and Borges now face Adam Pavlásek (Czechia) and Jamie Murray (UK) in the pre-quarterfinals, hoping to continue their strong run. With his current form and growing confidence, Bhambri is poised to lead Indian doubles tennis into a new era, aiming for further ATP titles and possibly a maiden Grand Slam victory.

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