BNP Paribas Open: Rohan Bopanna and Matthew Ebden upset top-seeded pairing to win Indian Wells

Rohan Bopanna and Matthew Ebden had known each other for well over a decade when they decided in January to pair up as a doubles team for the 2023 ATP tennis season.

Bopanna was now in his 40s and Ebden was well into his 30s, but the two believed that together they had skill sets that complimented each other and that they could be a pretty good team.

On Saturday at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden, the two upset the top-seeded pairing of Neal Skupski and Wesley Koolhof to capture the Masters 1000 doubles title.

The pair orchestrated a comeback in the game-winning tiebreak for the 6-2, 2-6, 10-8 win. With the victory, the pair will split $436,730. Skupski and Koolhof will share $231,550 for taking second.

The title was the first Masters 1000 title for Ebden, an Australian who has also won men’s doubles at Wimbledon and mixed doubles at the Australian Open. It was the fifth Masters 1000 title for India's Bopanna, who at 43 also became the oldest player to win a title of this level.

"I got a lot of messages on how many people are still inspired with the fact that I have been able to do this and still looking to say, yes, age is not a number, as they say, but still it is possible to do it," Bopanna said. "That is what is the biggest win for me, that I'm still able to still manage to put a smile on somebody's face, whether it's back home or anywhere."

Though the pairing is a bit older than most on tour, their games seem tailor-made for each other. Bopanna plays on the deuce side, while Ebden play on the ad side. Bopanna has a big serve and at 6-foot-4 he's big at the net. Ebden is more athletic, returns well and has improved his serve.

They first met when Bopanna played singles at the Hopman Cup in Australia, about 15 of 16 years ago. The two have since practiced together at times and had a friendship and some built-in trust with one another once they finally began playing together.

"We've seen each other on the tour many times over the last five, 10 years at least," Ebden said. "There was no reason why it couldn't work."

Bopanna and Ebden lost their first two matches together this year, in Australia, but have looked formidable since. In their third month together as a doubles pairing, the two have reached the finals in Rotterdam, won a title in Doha and now won Indian Wells.

"We took the losses," Ebden said, "but I think at least we're experienced, we've been around the tour long enough to know to trust ourselves and our level and each other that we can work and improve and find our rhythm.

"Then in Rotterdam, I remember I think one practice session one of the days, we just started playing unbelievable both of us together at the same time. We just started really winning a lot of sets against all the guys."

Ebden said on court after Saturday’s match that there’s hope of winning more big tournaments together this year. Perhaps even a Grand Slam or two. He also hasn’t ruled out a run at the top ranking in men’s doubles.

“We’re definitely going to go for it,” Ebden said.

Andrew John covers the BNP Paribas Open for The Desert Sun and the USA TODAY Network. Email him at andrew.john@desertsun.com.

This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: BNP Paribas Open: Rohan Bopanna and Matthew Ebden win Indian Wells doubles