Iyengar Yoga, injections of platelet-rich plasma and hyaluronic acid and other medical interventions and a huge amount of self-belief — that has been the path that Rohan Bopanna had travelled in order to be the oldest player in the Indian contingent at the Paris Olympics.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, struggling with health issues, Bopanna was almost sure that his playing days were over.

But since then, he had won the Australian Open with his partner Matthew Ebden, reached the semi-finals at Wimbledon and the French Open and reached the No.1 ranking in the world in doubles. Overcoming aching, aging knees to stage one of the great late-career surges in any sport, Bopanna, at age 44, is now partnering N. Sriram Balaji for India in the men’s doubles.

They will take on home favorites Fabien Reboul and Edouard Roger-Vasselin in the first round of the Games on Saturday.

Bopanna is among the oldest Olympians in Paris whose sport does not allow him to compete while sitting (equestrian) or standing still (shooting, archery).

“I have no cartilage in my knees,” Bopanna had repeated several times during a
recent interview.

While struggling with his painful knees around four years back, Bopanna found an Iyengar Yoga institute within walking distance of his home in Bangalore and found that the instructor there was a huge fan. And ever since his career had taken a turn for
the better.

In Paris, he might not have a strong partner like he had in previous Olympics, but in Balaji, he has a comrade who can punch above his weight in Paris when they compete in men’s doubles event.

But it’s important for Balaji to give his best and not get bogged down by the pressure of the big stage. He needs to be comfortable in his skin and play his natural game.

India’s first and only tennis medal in Olympics came in 1996, when Leander Paes created history with a singles bronze at the Atlanta Games.

India did not win an Olympic medal even when the legendary Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi competed together in Athens (2004) and Beijing (2008).

To expect Bopanna to deliver the goods with Balaji, who has barely started playing at the big stage, may be a bit impractical. Yet, they are preparing in the best possible manner.

Not playing at the Umag ATP event, one of the two tournaments they were scheduled to play in the tune-up, has also helped Bopanna and Balaji know each other’s game, and strengths better as the duo utilised that time to practise at Roland Garros, the venue for the tennis events at the Paris Games.

“The last few days have been about learning about each other,” the Indian tennis team’s travelling coach Balachandran said. “Balaji is a shy person. At this level, Bopanna does not need coaching from me.

“But we need to ensure that Balaji remains comfortable and confident. If he freezes at the big moment, then what?,” Balachandran, who has worked with Balaji in the last two years, said.

“He wants to do everything perfectly, and Rohan is a great mentor. Even if Balaji makes a mistake, or if he does not do well in practice sets, Rohan would not say much to Bala. Even if he is annoyed, he won’t show. He would keep encouraging and guiding Balaji. That’s a great sign of a leader.”

Roland Garros is a venue where Bopanna has some great memories. He won his first grand slam here when he triumphed in mixed doubles with Gabriela Dabrwoski
in 2017.

“It’s the biggest arena for a clay court tournament, and representing India at Roland Garros is very special. Those memories help me every time I come here. It’s a tournament where I have always done well because of those memories,” said Bopanna.

What this pair can promise is a genuine fight till the end and in the process, if it manages to make the medal round, it will be a huge bonus.

There are two primary reasons why they are capable of giving a tough time to their rivals. First, Bopanna is playing the tennis of his life at this stage of his career. He is fearless, can soak up pressure, and can lift the team out of the pits, having learned to control his nerves at match-defining points.

Second, Balaji has shown in the limited opportunities he has got that he has the heart of a big player.

The way he competed in the singles in Islamabad on grass during the Davis Cup and the way he stretched Bopanna and Matthew Ebden in the French Open with Mexican partner Miguel Reyes-Varelas is
noteworthy.

Written with PTI inputs