A linesman at the ATP Finals was in the firing line of Rohan Bopanna’s serve at the ATP Finals 2023. The Indian veteran’s endearing gesture following the incident has won the hearts of the fans.
Playing alongside his partner Matthew Ebden on Wednesday, Bopanna hit the linesman with his serve during the duo’s second group encounter against Jason Kubler and Rinky Hijikata in the year-end tournament on Wednesday.
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The incident occurred in the 52nd minute in the contest during the second set. Bopanna’s serve went straight to the linesman at the other end and hit him on his unmentionable. He was soon wincing in pain.
A concerned Bopanna soon checked him out. While he said he was okay, despite being in pain, Bopanna took time to further check on him by going to the other side of the net. After ensuring he was alright, Bopanna resumed the match with his serve.
The third seeded Bopanna and Ebden went on to win the match 6-4, 6-4. With the win, they registered their first victory in the tournament and still remain in contention for a spot in the semifinal. The victory also helped Bopanna create history as he became the oldest player to win a match in the history of the ATP Finals.
The duo will next face second seeds Neal Skupski and Wesley Koolhof in their last group match on Friday. They Indo-Australian duo had earlier losing their opening match to defending champions Rajeev Ram and Joe Salisbury.
