India’s campaign at the Australian Open 2025 saw a series of early exits across multiple categories, with no player advancing beyond the first or second round in singles and doubles events.
While there were some strong individual efforts, especially in the mixed doubles, it was ultimately a challenging tournament for the Indian contingent.
Here’s a detailed review of India’s performances across the various events at Melbourne Park.
Men’s Singles:
India’s Sumit Nagal faced an early exit from the Australian Open 2025, as he was eliminated in the first round by 26th seed Tomas Machac of the Czech Republic. In a one-sided match on January 12, Nagal lost 3-6, 1-6, 5-7 at Melbourne Park.
Nagal, the only Indian player in the men’s singles draw this year, had made it to the second round in the previous edition of the tournament but couldn’t replicate that form this time.
Machac quickly gained the upper hand, dominating the opening two sets. Although Nagal fought hard in the third set, he was unable to break Machac’s serve and fell short, as the Czech player capitalised on 7 out of 15 break point opportunities.
Despite his resilience, Nagal ultimately could not recover, and Machac secured a comfortable win.
Men’s Doubles:
India’s men’s doubles campaign at the 2025 Australian Open faced a series of disappointments, as several Indian players were eliminated early.
Four Indian pairs initially entered the draw, but some withdrew, leaving Jeevan Nedunchezhiyan, Vijay Sundar Prashanth, and Anirudh Chandrasekar to fill in as alternates.
The 14th-seeded pair of Rohan Bopanna and Nicolás Barrientos from Colombia were ousted in the first round by the Spanish duo of Jaume Antoni Munar and Pedro Martínez, losing 5-7, 6-7.
Similarly, Yuki Bhambri and Albano Olivettifaced an early exit, falling to the Australian team of Tristan Schoolkate and Adam Walton, 2-6, 3-7.
Rithvik Bollipalli and American Ryan Seggerman had a tough battle against the 6th-seeded pair of Harri Heliövaara and Henry Patten.
Despite a hard-fought first set, they were defeated 5-7, 1-6.
The Indian team of Jeevan Nedunchezhiyan and Vijay Sundar Prashanth also bowed out in the first round, losing 2-6, 2-6 to Grégoire Jacq and Orlando Luz.
Anirudh Chandrasekar teamed up with Polish player Karol Drzewiecki but lost a grueling three-set match to Damir Džumhur and Petros Tsitsipas, 6-7, 6-2, 6-7.
However, there was a bright spot for India in the form of Sriram Balaji, who, alongside Mexican Miguel Ángel Reyes-Varela Martínez, reached the second round.
They defeated Robin Haase and Aleksandr Nedovyesov 6-4, 6-3 in the first round. Unfortunately, their journey ended in a tightly contested second-round match, where they were defeated by the Portuguese team of Nuno Borges and Francisco Cabral, 6-7, 6-4, 3-6, thus concluding India’s campaign in men’s doubles at the 2025 Australian Open.
Despite the early exits, the experience gained from these matches will undoubtedly benefit India’s doubles players in future Grand Slam tournaments.Mixed Doubles:
India’s standout performance at the 2025 Australian Open came in the mixed doubles event, where Rohan Bopanna and Chinese player Zhang Shuai made a strong run to the quarterfinals.
In the first round, the pair showed great form, defeating the experienced duo of Kristina Mladenovic and Ivan Dodig in straight sets, 6-4, 6-4. Their solid teamwork and aggressive play helped them make a statement early in the tournament.
In the second round, Bopanna and Zhang received a bye as their scheduled opponents, Taylor Townsend and Hugo Nys, withdrew from the tournament. This gave them a free pass to the quarterfinals, where they faced the home team of Olivia Gadecki and John Peers.
The quarterfinal match was a thrilling contest, with Bopanna and Zhang battling hard against the Australian duo. Despite a valiant effort, they were narrowly defeated, 2-6, 6-4, 9-11, in a gripping encounter.
The match saw both teams exchanging momentum, and it ultimately came down to a tense super tiebreak, which the Australians won.
While the loss was disappointing, reaching the mixed doubles quarterfinals was still a remarkable achievement for Bopanna and Zhang, showcasing Bopanna’s experience and solid partnership with Zhang Shuai.
This performance marked India’s best showing at the 2025 Australian Open, leaving fans hopeful for more success in future Grand Slams.
