After winning his first Masters title of the season in partnership with Pablo Cuevas at Monte Carlo, Rohan Bopanna is understandably thrilled.
“It is definitely overwhelming. There was so much riding on it. I was defending big points from the clay season last year. This title takes away a lot of pressure,” said the 37-year-old when contacted by The Hindu after a 6-3, 3-6, [10-4] win over Feliciano Lopez and Marc Lopez in the final.
Bopanna had made the finals at Madrid and the quarterfinals at Roland Garros last year with Florin Mergea.
Bopanna and Cuevas had lost some close matches against tough opponents at Masters events in Indian Wells and Miami.
“We were losing the match tie-breaks. We won four of them this week,” said Bopanna.
“We had actually given ourselves time till Barcelona next week. We took it as a two-week challenge. Now, we have decided to play the whole clay season till the French Open.”
Bopanna was all praise for Cuevas, for his work ethic and the manner in which he fights it out in the doubles irrespective of his performance in the singles.
“Pablo is world-class, and clay is his best surface. We started off great. He was doing well in singles and it definitely helps,” said Bopanna. “He was a little down after losing the singles quarterfinals, but he was fighting in the doubles matches.”
“He takes things seriously and does not fool around in doubles. Training with him every day, and hitting with him on clay, makes a world of difference.”
After a tough first round against Marcin Matkowski and Alexander Peya, Bopanna and Cuevas fought back from a set and a break down to beat fifth seeds Raven Klaasen and Rajeev Ram.
Their quarterfinal against top seeds Henri Kontinen and John Peers also went to a match tie-break, where Bopanna and Cuevas missed a match-point and then saved one — the Uruguayan clinched that point with a cross-court drop shot after a protracted rally.
“Today, we were against a world-class team which had won the French Open last year. We came out firing. I was really able to match up with them from the baseline with my forehand. It is a great start for the clay season,” said Bopanna.
The Monte Carlo champions will not have too much time to savour their triumph in the Principality. In next week’s ATP-500 tournament in Barcelona, Bopanna and Cuevas go up against top seeds Kontinen and Peers in the very first round.
“At this level, there are no easy matches. We are playing good, and are ready for any challenge,” said Bopanna.
