Professional tennis player from Australia, Matt Ebden, recently fulfilled a longstanding aspiration by attaining the top spot in doubles rankings for the first time. He replaces his 43-year-old teammate, Rohan Bopanna.
On Monday, the top two positions will change, even though the Australian Open winners haven’t played since their victory at Melbourne Park last month.
The man from West Australia, who is 36 years old, expressed his joy at reaching the highest level in his sport. He also mentioned that he was happy to have his family with him during the moment, which occurred on Tuesday morning in Perth.
“Your whole career you have a sort a dreamy life goal,” he said. “To have achieved it with a couple of slams these last couple of years as well, it’s been an incredible blessing and miracle.”
Ebden’s ascension to the top spot can be attributed to the fact that results from last year have been disregarded in the 12-month ATP rankings period. Furthermore, his and Bopanna’s lead over their competitors guarantees their position.
Since the Australian Open, the duo has been equal in rankings points. However, the Indian veteran has held the No 1 position due to a countback, as the Australian has played in more tournaments during the rankings window.
Ebden’s decision to shift his focus to the doubles circuit three years ago has paid off with his recent success in men’s tennis. In 2018, he achieved a personal best singles ranking of 39.
“My main aspirations were to win the slams and reach the top ranking,” he stated. “I was determined to give it my all and put everything on the line. Even at this point in my career and life, I only wanted to pursue something significant and remarkable.”
“The sacrifice of time and travel, and even with the family and the kids, my young son, travelling – it’s not easy, it’s a lot. But this definitely makes all that that sacrifice worth it.”
The Australian player, who previously claimed victory at Wimbledon in 2022 alongside fellow countryman Max Purcell, is well-liked among competitors and was chosen to join the ATP Player Advisory Council in the current year.
Ebden expressed gratitude for the previous generations of Australian doubles champions, such as Todd Woodbridge, Mark Woodford, Peter McNamara, and Tony Roche, who have served as coaches and mentors. He feels honored to be included among them and finds it both humbling and surreal.
Bopanna received a warm welcome in India after winning the Australian Open men’s doubles trophy. He was personally praised by prime minister Narendra Modi two weeks ago.
Ebden – who was born in South Africa before moving to Perth in his early teens – made special mention of the pair’s achievements. “To be able to get there with a 43-year-old, the oldest guy in history, it’s quite remarkable,” he said.
Ebden’s wife Kim posted a screenshot of the live rankings on Instagram on Tuesday. “So proud of Matt Ebden and of us as a family and team,” she said. “All the years of hard work and sacrifice to get here made this dream come true.”
Ebden expressed his pride in not only himself, but also his loved ones and team. He acknowledged that it truly takes a community effort to achieve success.
