WISH-TV
Rajeev Ram’s road to the Australian Open mixed doubles trophy ceremony was weird.
At 34 years old, Carmel’s Ram hunted down his first career Grand Slam title last Saturday in Melbourne and with the win, became the first Indiana native to win at a Grand Slam event.
“It is a long flight back home, so I had some time to think about it,” Ram said. “I think all the years, all the tough matches I lost, yet it is still worth it.”
Ram found his match down under, paired with the No. 1 women’s doubles player in the world, 23-year-old Barbora Krejcikova, and took the title match in straight sets 7-6 (3), 6-1.
Ram said the task of teaming up with a partner in mixed doubles tennis is bizarre.
“It is like high school dating … more like junior high dating in fact,” Ram said. “You ask them if you want to play and they say yes or no. She is number one in the world. She is out of my league, but I got lucky.”
Now Ram is looking to pay it forward back in Indiana. The Carmel High School graduate wants to inspire local tennis stars to play professionally outside their home state.
“I know how much I was inspired by the people that played before me. Anything I can do to help that would be so awesome,” Ram said.
Game. Set. Match. Hoosier.
Carmel’s Rajeev Ram won his first-ever Grand Slam title last Saturday by claiming the Australian Open mixed doubles title. Ram paired with the No. 1 women’s doubles player, Barbora Krejcikova, to win the match in straight sets. (Photo courtesy WISH-TV)