Rohan Bopanna to end Davis Cup career in September, wants to play farewell game in Bengaluru
New Delhi, Jun 21: India's top doubles player Rohan Bopanna on Wednesday revealed that he will bring curtains down on his Davis Cup career when the country hosts Morocco in September but the Karnataka player won't be able to play his farewell match in his home state, as desired by him, since AITA has already awarded the match to Uttar Pradesh.
India are scheduled to play Morocco in a World Group II tie in September.
The 43-year-old Bopanna, who made his Davis Cup debut in 2002 and is still playing solid tennis on the ATP Tour, has played 32 ties for India.
"I am planning to play my last Davis Cup match in September," Bopanna told PTI from London.
"I have been in the team since 2002. I want it to be held at home and I spoke to all the boys (Indian players) they are all happy to play in Bengaluru. KSLTA is also happy to have it there. Now it's up to our federation to see if they want to do it in Bangalore.
"Since I have been playing for 20 years, I just have to speak to captain and figure out if they want to do it there. It will be good for everyone to come and watch one last time. Playing at 43 is a bonus," Bopanna, who is only one on the four Indians to have won a Grand Slam title, added.
It is only apt that a player, who has contributed to Indian tennis' success in the prestigious tournament over the years, gets to play his last match at the venue of his choice.
However, the All India Tennis Association (AITA) confirmed to PTI that it won't be able to give the tie to Karnataka State Lawn Tennis Association (KSLTA).
"To be fair, it would have been good for Rohan to play his last India-match in Bengaluru but we have already committed to UP. The tie will be played in Lucknow, it has already been decided," AITA Secretary General Anil Dhupar said.
Leander Paes has played the most number of ties for India with 58 appearances, followed by Jaideep Mukherjee (43), Ramanathan Krishnan (43), Premjit Lal (41) Anand Amirtraj (39), Mahesh Bhupathi (35), Vijay Amritraj (32).
So, Bopanna will overtake the legendary Vijay Amritraj in terms of number of Davis Cup appearances when he plays against Morocco.
In his 32 ties, Bopanna won 12 singles matches and 10 doubles rubbers.
Asked if he will continue to play on the ATP Tour, Bopanna replied in an affirmative.
"If I don't play on Tour, another Indian won't get that spot. Like if I don't play Wimbledon it's not like that spot will go to an Indian. But in Davis Cup, my spot will go to an Indian. It's been so many years, so there is a bunch of players coming up."
Asked when did he decide to quit Davis Cup, Bopanna said,"I always had it in my mind that I have to stop at some point of time. And since this is a home tie, I thought it's a good time to go. For country also it's significant."
Bopanna is 43 but is still pulling off title-winning performances on the Tour. In March he became the oldest player to win a Master Series tournament (ATP1000) at Indian Wells in USA.
Bopanna had broken the record of Canadian Daniel Nestor, who had won the Cincinnati Masters title when he was 42 in 2015.
"It's been a fantastic year for me, breaking back in the top 10, being able to still represent the country, playing at the biggest stage," Bopanna, ranked 11 in the world, said.
The Indian Davis Cup team was relegated to the World Group II for the first time since the new format was launched in 2019 after losing the playoff tie 2-3 to Denmark in February this year.
In the last six ties, India suffered defeats in four.
The team won against lower-ranked Pakistan in Kazakhstan and against Denmark in New Delhi on grass courts.
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Deep societal faultlines persist despite 75 years of independence: Justice Ujjal Bhuyan
Judge cites denial of home to Muslim girl, opposition to Dalit women cooking mid-day meals
Hyderabad, February 23, 2026: Supreme Court judge Justice Ujjal Bhuyan has said that despite repeated affirmations of constitutional morality by courts, deep societal faultlines rooted in caste and religious discrimination continue to shape everyday realities in India.
Speaking at a seminar on “Constitutional Morality and the Role of District Judiciary” organised by the Telangana Judges Association and the Telangana State Judicial Academy in Hyderabad, Justice Bhuyan reflected on the gap between constitutional ideals and social practices.
He cited a recent instance involving his daughter’s friend, a PhD scholar at a private university in Noida, who was denied accommodation in South Delhi after her surname revealed her Muslim identity. According to Justice Bhuyan, the landlady bluntly informed her that no accommodation was available once her religious background became known.
In another example from Odisha, he referred to resistance by some parents to the government’s mid-day meal programme because the food was prepared by Dalit women employed as cooks. He noted that some parents had objected aggressively and refused to allow their children to consume meals cooked by members of the Scheduled Caste community.
Describing these incidents as “the tip of the iceberg,” Justice Bhuyan said they reveal how far society remains from the benchmark of constitutional morality even 75 years into the Republic. He observed that while the Constitution lays down standards of equality and dignity, the morality practised within homes and communities often diverges sharply from those values.
He emphasised that constitutional morality requires governance through the rule of law rather than the rule of popular opinion. Referring to the evolution of the doctrine through judicial decisions, he cited Naz Foundation v Union of India, in which the Delhi High Court read down Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code, holding that popular morality cannot restrict fundamental rights under Article 21. Though the judgment was later overturned in Suresh Kumar Koushal v Naz Foundation, the Supreme Court ultimately restored and expanded the principle in Navtej Singh Johar v Union of India, affirming that constitutional morality must prevail over majoritarian views.
“In our constitutional scheme, it is the constitutionality of the issue before the court that is relevant, not the dominant or popular view,” he said.
Justice Bhuyan also addressed the functioning of the district judiciary, underlining that trial courts are the first point of contact for most litigants and form the foundation of the justice delivery system. He stressed that due importance must be given to the recording of evidence and adjudication of bail matters.
Highlighting the role of High Courts, he said their supervisory jurisdiction under Article 227 of the Constitution is intended as a shield to correct grave jurisdictional errors, not as a mechanism to substitute the discretion or factual appreciation of trial judges.
He recalled that several distinguished judges, including Justice H R Khanna, Justice A M Ahmadi, and Justice Fathima Beevi, began their careers in the district judiciary.
On representation within the judicial system, Justice Bhuyan noted that Telangana has made significant strides in gender inclusion. Out of a sanctioned strength of 655 judicial officers in the Telangana Judicial Service, 478 are currently serving, of whom 283 are women, exceeding 50 per cent representation. He added that members of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, minority communities, and persons with disabilities are also represented in the state’s judiciary.
He observed that greater representation of women, marginalised communities, persons with disabilities, and sexual minorities would help make the judiciary more inclusive and reflective of India’s diversity. “The judiciary must represent all the colours of the rainbow and become a rainbow institution,” he said.
Justice Bhuyan also referred to the recent restoration by the Supreme Court of the requirement of a minimum three years of practice at the Bar for entry-level judicial posts. While acknowledging that the requirement ensures practical exposure, he cautioned that its impact on women aspirants, especially those from rural or small-town backgrounds facing social and financial constraints, would need to be carefully observed over time.
Concluding his address, he reiterated that the justice system must strive to bridge the gap between constitutional ideals and lived realities, ensuring that the rule of law remains paramount.
