New Delhi, March 4: March 4 is a significant date in Indian sports, marking the birthdays of two renowned athletes.
Born on March 4, 1980, in Bengaluru, Rohan Bopanna recently retired from professional tennis at the age of 45. Throughout his career, he represented India in three Olympic Games: 2012, 2016, and 2024.
Bopanna began his tennis journey at just 19 years old. In 2007, he gained attention by partnering with Sania Mirza in the Hopman Cup, where they reached the finals. That same year, he teamed up with Pakistan’s Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi, forming the duo known as the “Indo-Pak Express.” In 2010, they made it to the quarter-finals at Wimbledon and the finals of the US Open in men’s doubles.
In 2012, Bopanna partnered with fellow Indian Mahesh Bhupathi, advancing to the second round of the Olympics. He later claimed the title at the Paris Masters.
In 2016, Bopanna and Sania Mirza came close to winning an Olympic medal in mixed doubles but fell short. However, in 2017, he secured his first Grand Slam title alongside Canada’s Gabriela Dabrowski, becoming the fourth Indian to achieve this feat.
In 2018, Bopanna won a gold medal in men’s doubles at the Asian Games with Divij Sharan. He reached the mixed doubles finals at the Australian Open 2023. At 43, he became the oldest player to win an ATP Masters 1000 title and later triumphed at the Miami Open 2024. He also won the men’s doubles trophy at the Australian Open 2024, setting a record as the oldest player to win a Grand Slam title and becoming the oldest world number one in doubles tennis.
On the same day, March 4, 2003, celebrated shuttler Pullela Gopichand and former Olympian P.V.V. Lakshmi welcomed their daughter, Gayatri. Growing up in a badminton-centric household, Gayatri trained alongside her brother, Sai Vishnu.
In 2017, she reached the round of 16 at the Junior World Championships and made it to the finals of the Pembangunan Jaya Raya International Junior Grand Prix. By the age of 15, she was India’s number one badminton player in the under-17 category, earning her place in the Indian badminton team for the Asian Games 2018, making her the youngest shuttler to do so.
With valuable experience from the Asian Games, Gayatri joined the senior circuit in 2019 and won her first senior medal at the South Asian Games the following year. She was part of the Indian team that won gold in Kathmandu. In 2021, she was the runner-up at the Polish International. At the Commonwealth Games 2023, Gayatri secured a silver medal in the mixed team event and a bronze in women’s doubles. She also claimed gold at the Asian Team Championships.
My name is Narendra Jijhontiya. I am an experienced content writer with several years of expertise in the field. Currently, I contribute to Daily Kiran, creating engaging and informative content across a variety of categories including TECHNOLOGY, health, travel, education, and automobiles. My goal is to deliver accurate, insightful, and captivating information through my words to help readers stay informed and empowered.
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