Rajeev Ram’s tennis career came to an end at this year’s US Open, when the former world No.1 lost in the men’s doubles semifinals.
Ram, who joined forces with Great Britain’s Joe Salisbury to complete the only successful men’s doubles three-peat in US Open history, took to social media on Monday to say an official goodbye.
“All good things must come to an end, and with a whole host of emotions that I say goodbye to my playing career,” he wrote in a post on X. “The reality is that all of this started as just a game. I always thought tennis could be a sport for life for me, but I never envisioned that it would make my life.
“There were many wins and losses along the way, but I always felt like my purpose in this game was to simply work to be better today than I was yesterday. That was my driving force, my why, and the thing that kept me going for more than two decades. And I had the time of my life doing so.”
Ram who reached the No.1 ranking in 2022, won six Masters titles and two Olympic silver medals, was also a key contributor to the U.S. Davis Cup team.
Rajeev Ram: Career Highlights
“I got to play this game because other people cared enough about me to make it possible. That’s the reality of it,” the 42-year-old said last week in Flushing Meadows.
- Six-time Grand Slam champion — Four men’s doubles titles and two mixed doubles titles.
- Three straight US Open titles — Won the men’s doubles crown with Joe Salisbury in 2021, 2022 and 2023.
- World No. 1 in doubles — Reached the top of the ATP doubles rankings in 2022.
- Two-time Olympic silver medalist — Mixed doubles with Venus Williams in 2016 and men’s doubles with Austin Krajicek in 2024.
- Two-time ATP Finals champion — Won back-to-back year-end titles with Salisbury in 2022 and 2023.
- 511 ATP doubles match wins
- 32 ATP doubles titles
- 26 consecutive US Open men’s doubles appearances
“It starts with my parents, and then it was the coaches I had. I was really lucky. My parents didn’t know much about tennis, but they knew how to find the people who did. More importantly, they knew how to find people who cared about me first.”
Ram says he’d like to stay involved in the sport by helping young people connect with tennis on the grassroots level.
“To any person who comes from South Asian heritage: I’m here to tell you that you can do anything you want if you commit to it,” he said. “There’s no certain path you have to follow, and nothing is out of reach. If you set your mind to achieving your dream and surround yourself with the right people, it can happen… I’m living proof.”
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