Yuki Bhambri ascends as India's top doubles tennis star

Yuki Bhambri has ascended to the pinnacle of Indian doubles tennis following a memorable victory at the Miami Open, where he and his partner Nuno Borges from Portugal triumphed over compatriot Rohan Bopanna and Croatia's Ivan Dodig in a gripping round of 32 match.

The duo clinched the victory with a 6-4, 3-6, 10-7 scoreline, paving Bhambri's way to the top spot in Indian doubles as per the latest ATP rankings, according to Olympics.com.

This victory, engineered in Florida, has propelled the 32-year-old Bhambri to 29th in the live ATP doubles rankings, subsequently demoting the former top Indian player Rohan Bopanna to 43rd.

Bopanna, a seasoned stalwart who boasts two Grand Slam titles and 26 tour-level victories, had held India's doubles crown for an enduring 286 weeks since October 2019. Sunday’s win signifies not only a shift in rankings but Bhambri's rise to form.

Bhambri, alongside Borges, is set to face off against Czech Adam Pavlasek and Britain's Jamie Murray in the impending round of 16.

This comes amid Bhambri’s sterling performance in recent months, notably including his first ATP 500 title at the Dubai Tennis Championships, where he and Australia’s Alexei Popyrin overcame the reigning US and Australian Open doubles champions, Harri Heliovaara and Henry Patten, in an electrifying comeback.

Bhambri's versatility on the court extends back to his 2009 Australian Open junior boys’ championship victory and earlier success as India’s singles number one, with a career-high singles ranking of 83 in April 2018.

Transitioning to doubles in 2023 has proven rewarding, highlighted by victories over formidable opponents including top-seeds Marcelo Arevalo and Mate Pavic at last month's Qatar Open.

This recent surge adds to Bhambri's collection of titles, with three ATP 250 level victories underscoring his growing legacy in the doubles domain.