Rohan Bopanna created history on Thursday when he became the oldest player to advance to a Grand Slam final after him and Matthew Ebden beat the French pairing of Nicolas Mahut and Pierre Hugues Herbert 7-6(3), 6-2 in the US Open semifinal.
The sixth-seeds will take on higher-ranked Rajeev Ram and Joe Salisbury in the summit clash.
This will be the second time Bopanna will contest in the title clash at the Flushing Meadows. The 43-year-old had played the 2010 men’s doubles final with Pakistan’s Aisam-Ul-Haq Qureshi, but went down to the Bryan brothers.
Bopanna would want to go one better this time and clinch his maiden Grand Slam title at the US Open. For Edben, it will be the second.
While Bopanna tries to get his hands on the trophy, he would look to draw inspiration from the Indians who have triumphed at the venue in the past.
But how many titles does India have at the US Open?
1999: MAHESH BHUPATHI - MIXED DOUBLES
Mahesh Bhupathi was the first Indian to clinch the US Open title. Bhupathi teamed up with Japan’s Ai Sugiyama and made a dash to the final where the pair beat America’s Kimberly Po and Donald Johnson 6-4, 6-4.
Ai Sugiyama and Mahesh Bhupathi holding the trophy after winning their mixed doubles final match against Kimberly Po and Donald Johnson at the US Open. | Photo Credit: AFP
2002: MAHESH BHUPATHI - MEN’S DOUBLES
Bhupathi added a second feather to his hat three years later, this time in the men’s doubles. He teamed up with Belarus’ Max Mirnyi and defeated Bob and Mike Bryan in the semifinals.
The pair then beat the team of Radek Stepanek and Jiri Novak in the final.
2005: MAHESH BHUPATHI - MIXED DOUBLES
Bhupathi put his name on the Flushing Meadows roll of honour for a third time. He paired up with Slovakia’s Daniela Hantuchova and won the mixed doubles title for the second time.
2006: LEANDER PAES - MEN’S DOUBLES
Leander Paes was the face of Indian tennis by 2006 and had triumphed at the French Open and the Wimbledon.
He broke the duck at the Arthur Ashe stadium with the men’s doubles title when he partnered with Czech Republic’s Martin Damm. The pair defeated Jonas Bjorkman and Mirnyi in three sets in the final.
2008: LEANDER PAES - MIXED DOUBLES
Leander Paes and Cara Black react after winning the mixed doubles title at the 2008 US Open. | Photo Credit: PTI
Two years later, Paes added a second US Open title in his bag. Teaming up with Zimbabwe’s Cara Black, Paes defeated Jamie Murray, Andy’s brother, and Liezel Huber in the final.
2009: LEANDER PAES - MEN’S DOUBLES
The 2009 men’s doubles final was a delight for the Indian fans. Bhupathi and Paes both made it to the final of event. Bhupathi teamed with Mark Knowles while Paes was partnering Lukas Dlouhy.
Paes and Dlouhy were in the previous year’s final too but missed out on the title. In 2009, the pair went one better, winning 3-6, 6-3 , 6-2 against Bhupathi and Knowles.
2013: LEANDER PAES - MEN’S DOUBLES
Paes picked up his fourth title at the Flushing Meadows when he teamed up with Radek Stepanek. The pair had to go through Bryan brothers in the semifinals. Once through them, they beat Alexander Peya and Bruno Soares in the final.
2014: SANIA MIRZA - MIXED DOUBLES
At the Flushing Meadows, Sania Mirza paired up with Bruno Soares and took home the mixed doubles titles - the third Slam of her career.
2015: SANIA MIRZA - WOMEN’S DOUBLES
Sania Mirza and Martina Hingis celebrate after winning the 2015 US Open women’s doubles title. | Photo Credit: REUTERS
Mirza and Martina Hingis had already claimed the Wimbledon final in 2015. They entered the US Open as the top seeds and went onto win the crown without dropping a single set.
2015: LEANDER PAES - MIXED DOUBLES
Hingis claimed a double at the 2015 US Open. She won the women’s doubles title with Mirza and then added a second with Paes in the mixed doubles.
The win at Flushing Meadows was their third title of the year, the first two being at Australian Open and Wimbledon.
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