
Australian Open: Indian Tennis player Rohan Bopanna gets new doubles partner in Japan's McLachlan
Melbourne/UNI: Indian tennis star Rohan Bopanna's quest for a new doubles partner for next month’s Australian Open finally ended on Saturday as he tied up with Japan's Ben McLachlan for the season's first Grand Slam.
Bopanna had originally paired with Joao Sousa but the Portuguese was unable to travel to Australia on time after testing COVID-19 positive, forcing Indian player to search for a new partner.
The former doubles world number three will come out from his 14-day quarantine in Melbourne later on Saturday.
He is one of 72 players who have been confined to their hotel rooms after fellow passengers on the flights that brought them to Australia tested positive for COVID-19.
Apart from Bopanna, India will have Divij Sharan in the men's doubles event while Sumit Nagal will compete in the men's singles on a wild card.
Australian Open will begin on February 8 amid strict COVID-19 protocols.