Rohan Bopanna-Shuai Zhang advanced into mixed doubles round two of the Australian Open

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Indian tennis ace Rohan Bopanna and his Chinese partner Shuai Zhang advanced to the second round of the Australian Open 2025 mixed doubles with a commanding 6-4, 6-4 victory over Ivan Dodig and Kristina Mladenovic on Friday, January 17.

The Indo-Chinese duo started strong, racing to a 3-0 lead in the opening set. Although Dodig and Mladenovic managed to break Zhang’s serve to narrow the gap to 3-2, Bopanna held firm under pressure, serving out the set at 6-4.

Rohan Bopanna-Shuai Zhang’s gameplay in the opening round

The second set began with both pairs exchanging breaks in a tight contest. At 3-4 down, Bopanna and Zhang capitalized on Dodig and Mladenovic’s errors, including two costly double faults, to break serve and level the score. They held their nerve to win the next two games, with Zhang and Bopanna complementing each other with steady serves and sharp forehand displays.

Bopanna and Zhang converted five of their nine break points, while Dodig and Mladenovic managed only three out of 17. The Indo-Chinese duo also outperformed their opponents in serve with four aces compared to Dodig and Mladenovic’s two. They won 31 of 48 service points, showcasing consistency, while on returns, they were efficient, winning 10 of 34 return points compared to their opponents’ 17 of 48.

Bopanna, who reached the mixed doubles final with Sania Mirza in 2023, is aiming for his maiden mixed doubles title at the Australian Open. The pair will face the winners of the match between the fourth-seeded pair of American Taylor Townsend and Hugo Nys of Monegasque and wild card Australian duo of Maddison Inglis and Jason Kuber in the pre-quarterfinals.

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