US Open 2023 Men’s Doubles Final, Highlights: Rohan Bopanna-Matthew Ebden finish as runner-up, lose to Rajeev Ram-Joe Salisbury in three sets

Body serve from the American and Bopanna’s backhand return goes flying off the court - 15-0.

Ram fumbles a forehand volley and it is 15-all now. Backhand return from Bopanna probably too quick for Salisbury who nets the backhand volley - 15-30.

Not in the next rally though as the Brit does hit the volley on the right side - 30-all.

Incredible backhand overhead from Salisbury to go 40-30 up and earn a championship point at 40-30.

Second serve, down the T from Ram and Ebden nets the forehand return. Ram and Salisbury become the first men’s team in the Open era to achieve the three-peat at the US Open as they beat Bopanna and Ebden 2-6, 6-3, 6-4!

Bopanna serving to stay in the final. The Indian wins the first point with a smash before Ebden hits a crosscourt forehand winner to go 30-0 up.

Ebden with some great volleys at the net to close the game.

Wide ace into the ad court from Salisbury to go 30-0 up. Love hold for the Brit. And the third seeds move within a point of completing the three-peat.

Bopanna concedes the point as Ebden’s forehand winner had clipped his elbow before going across the net. Great sportsmanship from the Indian. Score, however, is 30-0 in the favour of Ram and Salisbury.

Ebden hits a forehand pass to make it 15-30 before Bopanna comes up with a smash to level it as 30-all.

Bopanna’s forehand volley in the next rally finds the corner and it is 40-30 now. Backhand volley from Bopanna to close the game.

Ram begins with a T ace. The American fumbles a crosscourt forehand volley in the next rally - 15-all.

Body serve from Ram and Bopanna hits the backhand return long - 30-15.

Ebden and Bopanna both chose to cover the ad court and Ram hits a crosscourt forehand winner in the deuce court to go 40-15 up.

Ram consolidates the break.

Bopanna nets an overhead smash - 0-15. Pressure on the Indian as he trails 15-30.

However, Bopanna comes up with a glorious forehand winner down the line to make it 30-all.

Double fault from the Indian and it is 30-40. Chance for Ram and Salisbury. And they convert it as Bopanna hits an inside-out forehand wide.

Salisbury hits an overhead smash right at Bopanna’s feet to make it 15-all. Great reaction from Ebden with the forehand volley and the result is the backhand volley from the Brit going long - 15-30.

Rajeev Ram easily intercepts the backhand crosscourt return from Ebden - 30-all.

Bopanna with a stunning backhand return winner to earn a break point. However, the chance vanishes as Ebden nets a forehand return - deuce game.

Ebden draws another error from Salisbury. The Australian goes for the backhand pass down the line and the Brit reacts late - break point for the sixth seeds.

Yet again, solid defending from Salisbury with one expert forehand volley after another before Ram kills the point with the same shot - deuce again.

And the sixth seeds get a third chance to break. It started with an expert chip return from Bopanna and ends with a simple smash from Ebden.

Body serve from Salisbury, Ebden’s forehand return is easily covered by Ram at the net - deuce again.

And the Brit manages to close the game.

Matthew Ebden nails yet another overhead smash - 15-0. Wide serve into the deuce court from the Australian and Joe Salisbury is unable to make the forehand return - 30-15.

Comfortable hold for Ebden to keep things on serve.

Big serving from the tall American to go 30-0 up in no time. Make that 40-0 as Bopanna’s crosscourt forehand return to a wide serve from a Ram goes just wide of the double line.

Ram holds serve.

It all comes down to a one set shoot-off. And the Bopanna serve is under pressure straight away as he goes down 0-40.

Big wide serve from the Indian to save first break point. And he saves the second with a perfect forehand lob - 30-40. And the sixth seeds save the third as well with Ebden hitting a backhand volley - deuce.

Crosscourt forehand winner of the highest quality from Bopanna. Chance to wrap up the game now. And Ebden provides the finishing touch with a simple putaway.

Rajeev Ram serving for the set. Matthew Ebden wins the battle of the volley against Salisbury to go 15-0 up.

Ebden nets a forehand return and it is 15-all. Big T service winner for Ram to go 40-15 up and earn two set points.

Sliced wide serve from Ram to close the game and the second set.

Ram-Salisbury win the second set 6-3!

Matthew Ebden serving to stay in the set. Ebden serves one down the T and Ram hits a non-chalant forehand return down the line - 15-all. Tricky overhead smash but Ebden makes it to go 30-15 up.

Slow, wide second serve from Ebden and Ram hits the backhand down the line return wide - 40-15.

Simple backhand volley at the net for Bopanna to close the game.

The Brit serving to consolidate the break. Crosscourt forehand from Bopanna draws a heavy volley from Ram to go 15-0 up. Ebden tries to win the next point with a lob but the ball lands beyond the baseline - 15-all.

Bopanna does really well to hit a crosscourt forehand return to a wide serve from the Brit but Ebden, somehow, ends up sending the backhand volley long - 30-15.

Salisbury nets a forehand volley and it is 30-all now. Big T serve from Salisbury to move to 40-30 and closer to safety. Backhand return from Ebden is easily covered by a volley from Ram at the net.

Ram-Salisbury consolidate the break!

Bopanna wins the opening point with a smash but commits a double fault to make it 15-all.

Second serve from the Indian, Salisbury directs the backhand return at his feet and Bopanna nets the forehand. Another forehand error from Bopanna, this one flying wide, and Ram-Salisbury pair has two break points.

Big first serve from Bopanna followed by an easy volley for Ebden.

However, Bopanna overhits a backhand in the next rally and drops serve.

T serve from Ram draws a heavy forehand return from Ebden - 30-0. Clean game from the American to hold serve.

But some discussion is going on with Ram-Salisbury, the supervisor and the chair umpire. Wonder if it is about closing the roof. Bopanna does not seem to pleased with the idea.

And we are back to playing. Ebden begins with a body serve and it draws the error from the Brit. Ram comes up with a brilliant forehand pass which lands just inside the baseline - 15-all. And the American comes up with another winner, this time a delicate forehand volley - 15-30.

Made to work hard for this one but Ebden finishes the point with an overhead smash - 30-all.

Wide serve into the deuce court from Ebden and Salisbury’s backhand return lands wide - 40-30. Double fault from Ebden and it is a deuce game now.

Body serve from Ebden and Salisbury nets the backhand return. Wide serve from the Australian and this time, Ram nets the backhand.

Ebden holds.

Double fault from the Brit. Ebden sets up the point nicely with another brilliant inside-out forehand return to Salisbury’s serve but Bopanna ends up netting a simple crosscourt forehand - 15-all.

Another double fault for Salisbury - 15-30.

T serve from Salisbury and for once, Ebden sends the forehand return off the court - 30-all.

Wow!!! A stunning on-the-run backhand winner from Bopanna to go 40-30 up and earn a break point. Wide serve into the ad court from Salisbury and Ebden sends the backhand return wide - deuce.

T serve from Salisbury to Bopanna’s backhand followed by an easy putaway for Ram - Salisbury has a chance to close the game now.

Body serve from the Brit and Ebden nets the backhand return. Salisbury holds.

Bopanna serving. Fires a T ace to go 30-0 up.

Salisbury does well to control the backhand return and Bopanna ends up netting the crosscourt forehand - 30-15. Wide serve to Ram sets up an easy volley for Ebden - 40-15.

Comfortable hold for the Indian.

Trouble for Ram again as he goes down 0-30 on his serve. Matthew Ebden has brought his ‘A’ game today.

Three big first serves from the American help the two-time defending champs to win the next three points and move 40-30 up.

Lob from Ebden goes long and Rajeev Ram holds serve.

Matthew Ebden begins with a T ace. Wide second serve from Ebden and Ram nets the backhand return - 30-0. Ace wide into the deuce court from Ebden and here are three set points at 40-0. Ram overcooks the forehand return and that’s it for the first set.

Bopanna-Ebden lead 6-2

Double fault from Salisbury after taking a 30-0 lead. Net helps the sixth seeds as Ebden’s forehand return catches the tape and falls behind Ram who runs around the ball but hits the crosscourt forehand wide - 30-all.

And here is a chance to go up by a double break for Bopanna and Ebden as the Australian hits a forehand volley past Ram - 30-40.

Ebden hits a crunch forehand return right at Salisbury’s feet who was rushing in and as a result, the volley from the Brit flies off the court.

Bopanna-Ebden break again!

Salisbury and Ram close the net. Bopanna goes for the lob and ends up hitting it long - 0-15.

Ebden nets a simple backhand volley and the sixth seeds are down 15-30. Kick serve wide into the ad court from Bopanna and Ram is unable to make a clean connection with the ball - 30-all.

Break point for the third seeds as Bopanna hits the forehand down the line wide - 30-40.

Break point saved with a smash by Ebden - deuce. Ebden wins the next two points with backhand volleys to close the game.

Big T serve from the American and Ebden barely gets his racquet on the ball - 30-0. Wide serve into the ad court, Ebden’s backhand return makes it easy for Salisbury to put the backhand volley away.

Rajeev Ram holds.

The Australian is up 40-0 in no time. Love hold for Matthew Ebden.

The Brit begins with a double fault. Solid backhand return down the line from Bopanna and Salisbury is unable to control his backhand shot in response - 15-30.

Double fault from Salisbury and at 30-40, the sixth seeds have a chance to go up by a double break.

Big T serve from Salisbury followed by an easy volley for the Brit.

Matthew Ebden with a great crosscourt backhand return winner on a wide serve from Salisbury to bring it back to deuce.

Body serve from Salisbury draws a heavy backhand return from Bopanna. One more chance for the third seeds to close the game. Yet again, Ebden comes up with great backhand crosscourt return followed by an easy smash for Bopanna.

Salisbury manages to close the game and puts the defending champions on the scoreboard.

Salisbury nets a backhand return followed by a similar error from the Rajeev Ram forehand - 30-0.

Body serve from Bopanna, the backhand return from Salisbury is easy enough for Ebden to put the backhand crosscourt volley away to close the game.

Bopanna wins the opening point for the sixth seeds with a forehand crosscourt drive volley - 0-15. Lovely forehand return down the line from Ebden, the ball dips in time to make it tough for Ram to control the volley - 0-30. And the Indo-Australian pair has a chance to break straight away as Bopanna hits a crosscourt winner.

Ram nets a backhand volley and drops serve! Perfect start for Bopanna and Ebden.

Players step on the court at the Arthur Ashe Stadium. First, the Indo-Australian pair of Rohan Bopanna and Matthew Ebden followed by two-time defending champions Rajeev Ram of USA and Joe Salisbury of Great Britain.

Rajeev Ram and Joe Salisbury are looking to become the first team in the Open Era (since 1968) to win three straight US Open titles. The last team to accomplish the feat was the all-American duo of Tom Bundy and Maurice McLoughlin from 1912-14.

At 43 years and six months, Bopanna is the oldest men’s finalist at a Slam in the Open era. The previous record was held by Canada’s Daniel Nestor who made it to the 2016 Australian Open final with Czech Republic’s Radek Stepanek at the age of 43 years 4 months.

Semifinal: 7-5, 3-6, 6-3 against Ivan Dodig (CRO) and Austin Krajicek (USA)

Quarterfinal: 6-4, 6-3 against Andres Molteni (ARG) and Maximo Gonzalez (ARG)

Round of 16: 6-3, 3-6, 6-2 against Mackenzie McDonald (USA) and Andreas Mies (GER)

Round of 32: 6-3, 7-6(4) against Yoshihito Nishioka (JPN) and Ben McLachlan (JPN)

Round of 64: 6-3, 7-6(2) against Andrea Vavassori (ITA) and Simone Bolelli (ITA)

Semifinal: 7-6(3), 6-2 against Nicolas Mahut (FRA) and Pierre-Hugues Herbert (FRA)

Quarterfinal: 7-6(10), 6-1 against Nathaniel Lammons (USA) and Jackson Withrow (USA)

Round of 16: 6-4, 6-7(5), 7-6(6) against Julian Cash (GBR) and Henry Patten (GBR)

Round of 32: 6-3, 6-3 against Andrey Golubev (KAZ) and Roman Safiullin

Round of 64: 6-4, 6-2 against Christopher O’Connell (AUS) and Aleksandar Vukic (AUS)

The US Open men’s doubles final between Rohan Bopanna-Matthew Ebden and Rajeev Ram-Joe Salisbury will begin at 9:30PM IST and will be telecast on Sony Sports Network while the live streaming will be available on Sony Liv.

Rohan Bopanna and his Australian partner Matthew Ebden face USA’s Rajeev Ram and Great Britain’s Joe Salisbury, two-time defending champions, in the men’s doubles final of the US Open.

Bopanna’s only Grand Slam final appearance in men’s doubles category so far had come in New York in 2010 along with Pakistan’s Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi.