Read: Roham Bopanna explains how yoga 'has made a huge difference'

EXCLUSIVE: Roham Bopanna explains how yoga ‘has made a huge difference’ to him

When Rohan Bopanna was asked if he wanted to return to Wimbledon next year, the 43-year-old Indian insisted: “I don’t see any reason not to.” As the oldest player to play in the All England Summer Club, competing in singles or doubles, Bopanna remains a formidable competitor, as he proved when he reached the men’s doubles semi-finals alongside Matthew Ebden. It’s my opponent.

Exactly four years ago, Bopanna wondered how far she could push her creaky body. The former world number three was taking painkillers every day because the cartilage in her knees had worn away. It was the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic in early 2020, or more precisely the subsequent suspension of international tennis activities, that gave him the opportunity to manage his fitness.

“There’s not much time in a calendar year to do anything else. But this vacation gave me four months to seriously try something,” Bopanna said. Ta. “My cousin is a yoga teacher and he said, ‘Your condition requires Iyengar yoga.’ So I tried it and it made a huge difference. I did 90-minute sessions three times a week,” she says.

Iyengar yoga uses props such as blocks and ropes and focuses on structural alignment of the body. In Bopanna’s case, it helped strengthen the muscles around her knees and reduce pressure on her joints.

“I strengthened my quads, hamstrings, glutes and everything else,” he said. “At the moment, there is no pressure on the knee because it is on the bone, which is good for me. Every time I lose muscle, I feel pain.

“Yoga is much better for my body in general. I feel better physically and I feel stronger mentally because I feel more relaxed on the pitch. I don’t allow myself to be rushed by situations. I can play more calmly. That was a big change for me.

“My yoga teachers in Bangalore traveled with me for a few weeks to understand things better. I did yoga when I got home, but during the tour I wanted to know what to do before and after.”

He added: “I’ve also changed my routine completely to work out exactly what works for me. Some days I may not even practise. The biggest thing for me is to keep representing my country. That’s my passion. I hope somebody back home in India might be inspired by what I do. So I started playing tennis and started watching some Indian players. We must be represented at these major events. ”

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Bopanna, who made his senior debut at the All England Club 15 years ago, has only missed Wimbledon once since 2010, opting to sit out the tournament last summer. “I didn’t participate because there were no ranking points and the (men’s doubles) match was over a five-set best. It wasn’t the best for my body,” he said.

“At this stage of my career, I’m very happy with only three sets left.” It’s not just about playing. In doubles, there is no guarantee that you will have time off between matches, so recovery is important. ”

Bopanna won the mixed doubles title at Roland Garros in 2017 (alongside Gabriella Dabrowski), but has never won a Grand Slam title in men’s doubles. She finished runner-up at the 2010 US Open with Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi.

His loss to eventual champions Wesley Koolhoff and Neal Skupski at Wimbledon that year was the third time Bopanna had lost in the semi-finals of the All England Club. In 2013, he, along with Edouard Roger-Vasselin, faced the Bryan brothers in the penultimate hurdle race, losing in five sets. Two years later, Bopanna and Florin Mergea lost at the same stage to Jean-Julien Roger and Horia Tekau, winning the fifth set 13-11.

But this year, Bopanna showed that she can still be a contender for the biggest awards. He and Ebden arrive at the All England Club in 2023 as the world’s third most successful men’s pair, having already won titles at Indian Wells and Doha. “As long as we have a chance to win the tournament, we are happy to keep playing,” Bopanna said.

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