French Open 2017 Mixed Doubles winner Rohan Bopanna called on Union Sports Minister Vijay Goel today at his official residence. Rohan Bopanna gave the country their tennis moment when he clinched his first Grand Slam last week. On his return back from Paris, he met Union Sports Minister Vijay Goel to discuss the promotion of tennis among youth in the country.
Interacting with the media, Goel said, “Rohan has been playing for 17 years and has contributed immensely for the growth of tennis, we are proud of his achievement at the French Open.” Goel further stated that academies like the ones established by Rohan help in a great manner to scout for talented youngsters for future and the Ministry would surely encourage such initiatives.
During their meeting Bopanna shared his experiences at the Paris Grand Slam event with the Sports Minister. He also briefed the Minister about his tennis academy situated at Bengaluru where currently 70 budding tennis players are being trained.
Shri Vijay Goel said that the government is committed to promote excellence in sports and encourages all individual efforts by those associated with sports. Congratulating Bopanna for his maiden Grand Slam success with his Canadian partner Gabriela Dabrowski in Mixed Doubles, Shri Goel said doors of his Ministry are open for players and coaches 24 X 7 for suggestions to make sports a mass movement in the country.
Rohan Bopanna had the country at the edge of their seat when he played the mixed doubles final of the French Open with partner Gabriela Dabrowski. The Indo-Canadian pair won the French Open 2017 mixed doubles title on Saturday after beating Anna-Lena Groenefeld and Robert Farah 2-6, 6-2, 12-10 in a contest that lasted an hour and six minutes.
Bopanna, who won his maiden Grand Slam title, became only the fourth Indian after Leander Paes, Mahesh Bhupathi and Sania Mirza to win a Grand Slam.