For Indian tennis followers, Rajeev Ram without delay appears a detailed cousin and a distant relative. The 41-year-old’s dad and mom have been from India and his greatest doubles successes — Australian Open 2020 and a hat-trick of US Opens from 2021 to 2023 — have resonated within the sub-continent.
But he’s additionally proudly American, and is mentoring the following technology there. He sat courtside as fellow Indian-American Nishesh Basavareddy, then 19, took on Novak Djokovic within the first-round of the 2025 Australian Open.
Incidentally, Rajeev and Venus Williams beat Rohan Bopanna and Sania Mirza in a detailed semifinal on the Rio 2016 Olympics, and Rajeev [with Joe Salisbury] additionally overcame Bopanna [and Matthew Ebden] within the 2023 US Open remaining.
The six-time Grand Slam champion and two-time Olympic medallist spoke to The Hindu on his tennis journey, the state of doubles, the blended doubles rejig on the upcoming US Open and extra. Excerpts:
How do you assess your yr to this point?
In skilled sport, it’s quite a lot of up and down. My outcomes this yr haven’t been what I’ve gotten used to over the previous couple of years. But I’m 41 and have been very lucky to have performed at a reasonably excessive degree for the higher a part of 20 years. So, I’m taking it in my stride. The US Open is my favorite match, so I’m actually trying ahead [to it].
Base shift: Doubles has ‘changed over the last three or four years’, Rajeev observes, with extra groups discovering ‘comfort from the baseline’.
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What has saved you going for thus lengthy?
I performed singles as a precedence till 2017. We, as tennis gamers, start with aspirations to play on the high degree in singles. I’m very happy with the truth that I grew to become a top-60 participant and gained two titles on the Tour. My doubles-only profession began in 2017, and despite the fact that it was a lot after I turned professional, it nonetheless was recent when Joe and I gained the Australian Open in 2020.
It’s loads about perspective. The factor that’s all the time been vital is persistently attempting to enhance. If you might have that perspective, you possibly can typically take even losses as a constructive. As heartbreaking as a few of them are, typically they’re the largest motivators. I used them as fireplace and gasoline. I’ve truly needed to be extra conscious of myself after I’ve been successful loads since you get a bit bit happy.
How has the doubles recreation developed?
It’s modified loads. When I began, gamers, particularly those that transitioned from singles, would attempt to develop their web recreation a bit extra. In the final three or 4 years, I’ve seen an enormous shift the place that’s actually not the case. Most groups now have no less than one participant who serves and stays again on a regular basis. There’s extra consolation from the baseline. Numerous the gamers don’t actually fear about serving and volleying anymore. From the returner’s perspective, it’s much more about tempo, being aggressive and attempting to get a maintain on the purpose right away. Whereas, after I began enjoying, there was a bit bit extra really feel, extra finesse.
Doubles could be very entertaining and fashionable as a leisure sport. But it doesn’t get good broadcast slots or matches on the present courts, particularly within the first week of a Major. Are these hindering the expansion?
Absolutely. Anything that’s put on the back-burner by way of promotion and advertising goes to be handled that manner by individuals who watch it. I’m not saying by any stretch that it must be on the similar degree as singles. But there are undoubtedly tales that may very well be marketed much more. Like Rohan having a lot success at such a late age [World No. 1 and 2024 Australian Open title]. Croatia’s Mate Pavic gained the French Open final yr and accomplished the profession Golden Slam [along with Tokyo 2020 Olympics gold]. But I don’t assume it acquired the push {that a} actually uncommon achievement in our sport ought to have gotten. Next is to spotlight the partnerships. There may very well be fairly a bit extra of that, simply to get to know the gamers on the private degree.
In such a state of affairs, how does the transfer by the US Open to fully rework its blended doubles really feel? It is being performed within the week earlier than the Slam and has extra singles gamers than doubles.
It’s two elements for me. I applaud their concept to innovate. As a lot as doubles was on the back-burner, blended doubles was behind much more. So placing it in its personal week, with fanfare, is nice. Tennis may use blended doubles because the flag-bearer, as males and girls play males and girls for Olympic medals and Grand Slam titles.
But they [US Open] made it such that doubles gamers couldn’t even enter. You can’t except you have a singles rating. That’s the place I really feel opposed. They ought to [have] simply let everyone enter. Numerous the gamers that acquired in from singles would have nonetheless gotten in. It would have been a bit extra professional to offer a Grand Slam trophy for.
More of this please: Rajeev believes that extra individuals could be drawn to doubles if tennis does a greater job of showcasing the format and its tales.
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If you have been able of energy, what would you do to extend traction for doubles?
I discussed Rohan successful so late. Joe and I gained three US Opens on the trot. So the tales are there. They simply have to be instructed. Secondly, social media is such an enormous a part of our world. We have thrilling factors taking place day-after-day. They don’t have to be essentially in the principle stadiums and even on TV. If we may do a greater job of showcasing them, individuals could be drawn to the sport. Most of those that are watching are doubles gamers themselves and they will have a bit little bit of a relationship there. The third factor is to simply inform the story of the partnerships. Joe and I performed collectively for six years. We can perform a little bit extra of getting exterior tennis and highlighting the personalities.
You have been mentoring Nishesh, among the many brightest skills to emerge from the United States. What do you assume India can do to develop such a participant?
I want there was some magic recipe. Nishesh and I… our relationship is unique. Of all of the locations within the US, he moved to the little city that I’m from [Carmel, Indiana]. We have the identical coach, Bryan Smith, and I’ve to offer him quite a lot of credit score. He not solely teaches us to be good tennis gamers but in addition teaches us to offer again to the following group. It was all the time one thing I used to be going to do for him [Nishesh] and just a few others. Also, coming from the very same background as I’ve, an America-born child with Indian heritage… quite a lot of items got here collectively.
What India can do… I feel it is vitally vital for a participant to really feel that she or he isn’t alone and not really feel like they’ve to succeed in a sure degree for it to achieve success. Just the trouble of attempting to be the perfect you could be is success in itself. I used to be actually fortunate that my dad had the foresight to understand that within the US, sports activities can truly open doorways. I might have by no means gone to the universities that I went to if I wasn’t a tennis participant. So, possibly, only a slight shift in mentality for what it actually means to be a high-level athlete and what success actually is [can help India].
