Bopanna-Ebden pair set for ATP finals debut after Shanghai Masters runner-up finish

The Indo-Australian pair encountered strong resistance from Granollers and Zeballos. Both teams held their serves in the initial set until Rohan and Abden secured a crucial break point in the 12th game, securing the lead.

Shanghai: Indian ace tennis player Rohan Bopanna and his Australian men’s doubles partner Matthew Ebden finish as runner-up at the Shanghai Masters after losing to Spain’s Marcel Granollers and Argentina’s Horacio Zeballos 7-5, 2-6, 7-10 in the final, here at the Qizhong Forest Sports City Arena on Sunday.

The Indo-Australian duo faced a stiff channel from Granollers and Zeballos. Both teams managed to hold their respective serves in the first set before Rohan and Abden managed to get a decisive break point in the 12th game to take the lead.

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But the Spanish-Argentine pair quickly grew in confidence and soon took a second-set lead to 4-0, before drawing level by pocketing the second set 6-2. They were the more dominant pair in the match tiebreak, with victory secured on their third match point.

This was Bopanna’s third ATP Masters 1000 final of the year. The 43-year-old Indian had partnered Ebden to win the Indian Wells Masters title earlier this year. The victory also made Bopanna the oldest ATP Masters champion in tennis history.

The duo also lifted the trophy in Doha. Bopanna and Ebden also reached a major final at the US Open and another Masters 1000 final in Madrid.

However, in their first season as a team, Bopanna and Ebden will compete in the ATP Finals. The Indian-Australian duo qualified for the season finale by reaching the final of the Shanghai Masters.

This will be Bopanna’s fourth appearance in the ATP Finals and his first since 2015. All four of his qualifications have come with different partners. Ebden will compete in the season finale for the first time.