Speaking about his journey, Bopanna credited a piece of advice from his childhood idol, Stefan Edberg, and his ability to stay committed through more than a decade of waiting for a major breakthrough.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Looking back further, Bopanna revealed that one of the most influential moments of his career came through a conversation with two-time Wimbledon champion Stefan Edberg, a player he admired while growing up.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cWe are fortunate enough to have this kind of community where we can reach out to athletes and legends of the sport. I remember once, back in the day, meeting my role model, Stefan Edberg, who remains my role model even today,\u201d Bopanna told JioStar.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The Indian star explained that Edberg's words stayed with him throughout the highs and lows of professional tennis, offering a blueprint for longevity and self-belief.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cI happened to be chatting with him and he said, 'When you're playing the sport, never look at what your peers are doing. Do what works best for you. Don't do something just because someone else is doing it. Look at your strengths, work on them, and build on them.' Coming from someone I watched growing up, especially at Wimbledon, it was advice that I carried throughout my journey,\u201d he added.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
For a player whose career has spanned more than two decades, the road to Grand Slam glory was anything but straightforward. Bopanna admitted that after an early taste of success, he expected bigger achievements to arrive much sooner than they eventually did.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cI happened to be chatting with him and he said, 'When you're playing the sport, never look at what your peers are doing. Do what works best for you. Don't do something just because someone else is doing it. Look at your strengths, work on them, and build on them.' Coming from someone I watched growing up, especially at Wimbledon, it was advice that I carried throughout my journey,\u201d he added.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The Australian Open triumph in 2024 made Bopanna the oldest first-time Grand Slam champion in men's doubles history and served as a reward for years of persistence in a sport where careers are often measured by immediate results.<\/p>\r\n\r\n