Tennis star Rohan Bopanna becomes a champion for peace

Leading Indian tennis player Rohan Bopanna has been named a "Champion for Peace".He joins a group of 47 major international athletes committed to serving peace through sport in the world.

Created at the initiative of "Peace and Sport", a neutral international organization under the High Patronage of HSH Prince Albert II of Monaco, the "Champions for Peace" club includes elite athletes representing 27 different nationalities.They embody 26 Olympic and non-Olympic sports disciplines, boasting a total of 49 World Champions, 20 Olympic Champions and more than a hundred national and regional titles!

Each Champion for Peace, in his or her own way, takes action to ensure that the values of sport contribute to dialogue, rapprochement and reconciliation between communities that have been divided by armed conflict, extreme poverty or lack of social cohesion.

At 30 years old, Rohan Bopanna wanted to commit to this cause that is very dear to him.Since he entered the professional tennis world in 2003, this native of Bangalore has become one of the ATP's best doubles players.In this category, he was ranked 43rd in 2008 (a career high) after winning the Los Angeles Open.Rohan is currently ranked in 51st place, thanks to his superb victory in the final of the South African Open in Johannesburg in February 2010 and reaching the finals at the Nice Open in May 2O10.Rohan has represented India in the Davis Cup on nine occasions since 2002.He aims to represent his country at the upcoming Commonwealth Games and 2012 Olympics in London.