Tennis players sometimes say they’d like more time to savour titles instead of rushing off to the next stop on the extended pro tour.
But on the flip side, one tournament after another can help players to overcome painful defeats. Rajeev Ram is a case in point in the latter at the National Bank Open presented by Rogers.
Ram — after suffering as tough of a loss as any in his 20-year career, at the Olympics — moved into the doubles final Sunday alongside partner Joe Salisbury with one of their most prized victories of 2024.
American Ram and Joe Salisbury of Great Britain saved four consecutive match points to prevail 6-2, 4-6, 11-9 against Hugo Nys and Jan Zielinski on another breezy day in Montréal. Momentum in doubles matches can change in a heartbeat, and Ram and Salisbury appeared to be exiting after they couldn’t break right at the start of the second set. But up against those four match points in the match tiebreak at 5-9, a Nys double fault, Salisbury volley winner, potent serve from Ram and a fine Ram return made it 9-9. Zielinski’s double fault and Salisbury’s pinpoint serve that drew a return error capped the unlikely comeback.
“I was proud with the way we fought and hung in there even though it looked like we were on the way out,” Ram, one of the Tour’s elder statesmen at 40, told Nationalbankopen.com. “We just want to keep the same mindset regardless of the score. We want to play on our terms, play the next point as best as we can. Sometimes it works out. And today was one of those days where I think it was always going to be tricky to finish off the match because of the conditions. Luckily, we took advantage.”
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In what has been a hard season for the duo, Ram and Salisbury reached a first final together since January. They also won the title in Toronto in 2021 and made the final last year.
Ram also has two Olympic silver medals in his trophy cabinet but came close to winning two golds. In 2016 in Rio, Ram and Venus Williams lost to their compatriots Jack Sock and Bethanie Mattek-Sands in the mixed doubles gold medal match.
Then barely week ago, Ram and Austin Krajicek came up narrowly short in the men’s doubles decider in Paris against Aussies Matt Ebden and John Peers, 6-7 (6), 7-6 (1), 10-8.
On the way to the final, Ram soaked up the atmosphere on the clay at Roland-Garros when he and Krajicek topped Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz.
Like on Sunday at IGA Stadium, Ram trailed in the match tiebreak 9-5 but he and Krajicek couldn’t quite come all the way back to capture gold. Having to hop on a plane and prepare for the NBO — along with the heartbreaking nature of the loss — meant that Ram hasn’t fully analyzed the match.
“As tough (of a loss) as I’ve ever had,” he said. “I think I’ve prided myself in my career of doing pretty well when I get to the end of tournaments, either the Grand Slams or the Tour Finals or the biggest events. Unfortunately, that’s been the one that has eluded me. It was really tough. I thought we played a great event. We had our chances for sure and didn’t quite get it done.”
Returning to his favourite surface of hard courts and playing in Canada has certainly helped Ram recover. Besides winning the doubles title previously in Canada, his best ever singles showing at a Masters 1000 event came in Toronto in 2016 when he reached the third round.
“It’s the people”, said Ram, who has been dubbed ‘Rampras’ since his strokes mimic that of 14-time Grand Slam singles winner Pete Sampras. “How friendly everyone is” stands out, he said. “I feel at home here. It’s not often in tennis we get to play at home and even though this isn’t my country, I still feel very welcome here. I played in Vancouver, Calgary. I played all over this country and it’s been a great experience.”
Featured photo by: Patrice Bériault
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