Asian Games 2023: India's Rohan Bopanna, Rutuja Bhosale clinch gold in tennis mixed doubles
Hangzhou (China), September 30: India's tennis sensation, the duo of Rohan Bopanna and Rutuja Bhosale, secured a prestigious gold medal in the tennis mixed doubles category at the 19th Asian Games 2023 held in Hangzhou on Saturday.
The journey to gold was not without its challenges. Initially, the Rohan-Rutuja pair faced a tough battle in the opening set of the match against Chinese Taipei's En-shuo Liang and Tsung-hao Huang, ultimately losing it by a score of 6-2. However, displaying remarkable resilience and skill, the Indian duo made a resounding comeback, dominating the game in the following two sets with scores of 3-6 and 4-10, securing the gold.
The final tennis showdown stretched for over an hour, but the Indian duo maintained their composure and precision to claim the coveted gold medal.
In the semifinal of the mixed doubles event, the experienced 43-year-old Rohan Bopanna and Rutuja Bhosale triumphed over their opponents from Chinese Taipei, Yu-hsiou Hsu and Hao-Ching Chang, with a final score of 6-1, 3-6, and 10-4. This victory assured India of a medal at the Asian Games 2023.
While the Indian pair won the first set comfortably at 6-1, they faced a challenge in the second set but ultimately emerged victorious in the tiebreaker, securing their spot in the final match and guaranteeing a medal for India.
The tennis events at the Asian Games commenced on September 24 and concluded with a triumphant performance by Bopanna and Bhosale in the mixed doubles final. As the games wrapped up, India found itself in fourth place in the 19th Asian Games medals table, boasting a total of 34 medals, including nine gold, 13 silver, and 13 bronze medals.
- ANI
