ATP Finals 2024: Rohan Bopanna and Matthew Ebden lose against Marcelo-Mate; drop down to the last spot
Indo-Australian duo of Rohan Bopanna and Matthew Ebden were defeated by the top-seeded pair of Marcelo Arevalo and Mate Pavic in their second match of the ATP Finals 2024 in Turin, Italy, on Wednesday, November 13.
The duo, who have announced that this will be their last tournament together after a two-year partnership, struggled to find their rhythm in the Bob Bryan Group-stage match at the Pala Alpitour.
The match, which lasted 68 minutes, saw Bopanna and Ebden, seeded sixth, fall to Arevalo and Pavic 5-7, 3-6. Despite a promising start, the Indo-Australian pair could not capitalize on a break lead in the first set.
At 5-5, they had a chance to edge ahead, but a crucial missed breakpoint and two costly double faults from Ebden handed the momentum to the top seeds, who closed out the first set.
In the second set, Arevalo and Pavic dominated from the outset. The duo, both of whom are well-experienced at the highest level of the game, kept Bopanna and Ebden on the defensive.
The Indo-Australian pair attempted a late comeback but were unable to break their opponents’ strong serve and well-executed play, ultimately losing 3-6 to give Arevalo and Pavic a straight-set victory.
Can Rohan Bopanna and Matthew Ebden qualify for the semis of the ATP Finals 2024?
With this defeat, Rohan Bopanna and Matthew Ebden have now dropped to the bottom of the points table in the Bob Bryan Group of the ATP Finals 2024. Their earlier loss to Italian home favorites Simone Bolelli and Andrea Vavassori (6-2, 6-3) in the group’s opening match has left them with little hope of advancing to the semifinals.
The top two teams from each group qualify for the knockout stage, and with just one match left in the group stage, their chances of qualifying are slim.
The Indo-Australian duo will next face the German pair of Kevin Krawietz and Tim Pütz in their final group-stage match. While a win could provide a glimmer of hope, they would still rely on the results of other matches to have a chance at qualification.
Regardless of the outcome, Rohan Bopanna and Ebden’s partnership, which brought them the Australian Open and the Miami Open titles this year, will come to an emotional close after the ATP Finals 2024.