ATP Finals 2023: Matthew Ebden/Rohan Bopanna vs Rajeev Ram/Joe Salisbury - Preview, Predictions, Head to head and Stats
ATP Finals 2023: Third seeds Matthew Ebden/Rohan Bopanna will take on the experienced pair of Rajeev Ram/Joe Salisbury in the group stages of the ATP Finals
Rohan Bopanna, along with partner Matthew Ebden, has a promising opportunity to secure their inaugural ATP Final title in doubles. It’s noteworthy that no Indian player has previously clinched victory in this tournament. The Bopanna-Ebden duo experienced a strong start to the year, reaching consecutive finals at ATP Rotterdam and the Qatar Open, triumphing in the latter. Following this success, they also secured the Indian Wells Masters title. Impressively, the Indo-Aussie team maintained their excellent performance, reaching the finals of the US Open a few months ago.
At 43 years old, Rohan Bopanna is experiencing a remarkable season. In March, partnering with Matthew Ebden, he secured the Indian Wells title, making him the oldest winner of an ATP Masters crown. In September, at the US Open, Bopanna became the oldest doubles finalist in a Grand Slam during the Open Era. October saw him break into the top-five of the ATP rankings for the first time since October 2013. In the upcoming week, he embarks on his first ATP season-ending campaign in eight years, with a chance alongside Ebden to claim the No.1 team ranking.
In 2021, Bopanna participated in 23 tour-level events alongside 10 different partners. The following year, in 2022, his performance improved as he engaged in 29 tournaments with seven partners, notably teaming up with Matwe Middelkoop for 15 of them. Bopanna and Ebden have been particularly successful recently, securing victories in 12 out of their last 15 matches and reaching three consecutive finals at the US Open, Shanghai, and Paris Masters. The notable consistency in their performance could be attributed to the fact that Bopanna is maintaining the same doubles partner throughout the season.
Rajeev Ram and Joe Salisbury achieved a remarkable feat by securing their third consecutive US Open title at Flushing Meadows in September. The American-British pair, now eyeing another significant title defense at the Nitto ATP Finals, has showcased top form with a late-season surge. Winning two of their last four events, they particularly stand out for their recent success in New York, where they clinched their fourth major team trophy.
Despite a slower-than-usual start to the season, Rajeev Ram and Joe Salisbury have secured their qualification for the Nitto ATP Finals for the fifth consecutive year. Closing the year with a second consecutive title in Turin would be an ideal conclusion for them. The duo, with a 12-5 record at the year-end event, has triumphed in nine of their last ten matches in Turin. Their journey began with a round-robin exit, but each subsequent year has seen progress: reaching the semi-finals in 2020, finishing as runners-up in 2021, and claiming the championship last year. A sixth appearance at the Nitto ATP Finals will only add to the duo’s cherished memories from this prestigious event.
Date – Monday, 13th November
Court Type – Indoor Hard Surface
Telecast – Tennis Channel
Start Time – 11:00 pm IST (tentative)
Location – Turin, Italy
Match details – Group Stage
Ebden/Bopanna and Ram/Salisbury are two of the most experienced pairs in men’s doubles. They have dominated the ATP tour for a number of years now. However, they have faced each other as a pair only once before on the ATP tour. This sole meeting came at the US Open earlier this year. It was an intense encounter with Ram and Salisbury eventually emerging victorious in a thrilling three-setter. Therefore, Ram/Salisbury leads 1-0 on head-to-head. We’re predicting another thrilling clash in Turin with Ebden/Bopanna winning in three sets.
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