Matt Ebden has become the first Australian since 2017 to reach the semifinals at the ATP Finals.
Turin, Italy, 17 November 2023 | AAP
The most successful year of Matt Ebden’s distinguished doubles career has continued with the evergreen Australian reaching the semifinals at the season-ending ATP Finals in Turin.
The 35-year-old from Perth teamed up with Indian Rohan Bopanna to beat Wimbledon champions, Brit Neal Skupski and Dutchman Wesley Koolhof, 6-4 7-6(5) in Friday’s group decider to ensure the veteran pair made the last four.
The 43-year-old Bopanna again enhanced his new record as the oldest man ever to win a match at the ATP Finals, while he and Ebden could end the season as the world’s top-ranked team should they go on to lift the title on Sunday.
The pair will first have to get through their semifinal on Saturday, against Spain’s Marcel Granollers and Argentina’s Horacio Zeballos, who have gone unbeaten in their three matches in Turin.
Once again, the victory of the two veterans was built upon an excellent performance behind their serve, just as on Wednesday when they beat Australian Open champs Jason Kubler and Rinky Hijikata.
Ebden, who’s reached the ATP Finals for the first time, and Bopanna won 35 of 40 points behind their first serve as they progressed to their 40th tour-level match win of the season.
Enjoying a remarkable season in which he’s featured in seven doubles finals, Ebden, who won Wimbledon last year with fellow Aussie Max Purcell, can become the first Australian man since John Peers in 2017 to lift the ATP Finals doubles crown.
The other semi-final will feature American Rajeev Ram and Brit Joe Salisbury, who beat Ebden and Bopanna in the US Open final, against Mexico’s Santiago Gonzalez and France’s Edouard Roger-Vasselin.
Defending champions Ram and Salisbury finished off their perfect group campaign by beating Aussies Kubler and Hijikata 5-7 6-1 [10-2].
Aussies in action – ATP Finals
RESULTS
Men’s doubles, round robin
[3] Matt Ebden (AUS)/Rohan Bopanna (IND) d [2] Wesley Koolhof (NED)/Neal Skupski (GBR) 6-4 7-6(5)
[6] Rajeev Ram (USA)/Joe Salisbury (GBR) d [8] Rinky Hijikata (AUS)/Jason Kubler (AUS) 5-7 6-1 [10-2]
COMING UP
Men’s doubles, semifinals
[3] Matt Ebden (AUS)/Rohan Bopanna (IND)v [5] Marcel Granollers (ESP)/Horacio Zeballos (ARG)
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