Paris Masters: Rohan Bopanna-Matthew Ebden register comprehensive first-round win

Rohan Bopanna and Matthew Ebden made a great start to their Paris Masters 2024 campaign, advancing to the quarterfinals of the men’s doubles. On Tuesday, October 29, they beat Brazil’s Marcelo Melo and Germany’s Alexander Zverev in straight sets in the Round of 16 match on Court 2.

It took Bopanna and Ebden, the third-seeded pair, an hour and 16 minutes to beat their opponents 6-4, 7-6 (5). Zverev and Melo began their campaign with a dominating win over the American pair of Rajeev Ram and Austin Krajicek, but could not hold their nerves against Bopanna and Ebden.

As far as Zverev is concerned, he has a chance to make amends in men’s singles when he faces Tallon Griekspoor of the Netherlands on Wednesday.

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Rohan Bopanna, Matthew Ebden dominate in Paris Masters

Rohan Bopanna and Matthew Ebden looked clinical right from the word go. They claimed the first set after converting the only break-point chance they got. Moreover, they did not give Melo and Zverev a single opportunity to break their serve.

The second set could also have been straightforward for Bopanna and Ebden. But the Indio-Australian duo could not convert two breakpoint chances. Zverev and Melo somehow managed to force a tie-breaker, hoping to take the match into the deciding third set.

Even in the second set, Zverev and Melo could not find a way to earn a break-point. In the tie-breaker, Bopanna and Ebden seized the initiative by taking an early 3-0 lead. Although Zverev and Melo fought back to make it 5-6, they could not have the last laugh.

Bopanna and Ebden were relentless with their first serves, winning 91 percent of points (31 out of 34) from them. They also managed four aces and a winning percentage of 68 from their second serves (17 out of 25).

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