Youngest to oldest, sportspersons defied ageism

Indian sports had a successful year, but it also marked the end of an era and the beginning of a new one

- Deepti Patwardhan

Gukesh being crowned the youngest world champion, it had started with Rohan Bopanna becoming the oldest men's doubles Grand Slam champion. In between, Indians also won a cricket World Cup, six medals at the Olympics and lit up another record-breaking Paralympics.

BETTER WITH AGE
For years, Bopanna had played in the massive shadows cast by Leander Paes, Mahesh Bhupathi and Sania Mirza. But with Paes and Bhupathi fading away and Mirza calling it quits last year, Bopanna emerged as India's flagbearer at tennis Grand Slams.

The crowning glory came at the 2024 Australian Open when Bopanna and Matthew Ebden defeated Italians Simone Bolelli and Andrea Vavassori 7-6(0), 7-5 to clinch the men's doubles title. At 43, Bopanna became the oldest man in the Open Era to win a major men's doubles title. It was his first men's doubles title and second Grand Slam overall—he had won the 2017 French Open mixed doubles event. During the tournament, Bopanna also ascended to the top of the world rankings, the oldest first-time World No. 1 in men's doubles.