Cal Tennis: Assistant Coach Rajeev Ram in Aussie Open Doubles, Mixed Doubles Finals

Ram is a volunteer assistant to long-time Bears coach Peter Wright

Photo by Eric Bolte, USA Today

Rajeev Ram, a volunteer assistant coach for the Cal men’s tennis team, has advanced to the finals of both the men’s doubles and mixed doubles at the Australian Open in Melbourne.

Ram, 36, who joined Peter Wright’s coaching staff last June, will team with Barbora Krejčíková, 25, of the Czech Republic in Saturday’s mixed doubles championship match. Seeded No. 6, they will face Australians Matthew Ebden and Samantha Stosur in a match that will begin in the early Saturday A.M. hours on the West Coast.

Ram and Krejčíková have advanced through the bracket with a series of  straight-sets victories, although they had to battle to a 7-6, 7-5 win in their opening-round match.

Rajeev Ram and Barbora Krejčíková

He will team with Joe Salisbury, 28, of England, in Sunday’s men’s double final, which will go off at 8 p.m. PT Saturday. Ram and Salisbury, seeded No. 5, will take on the ninth-seeded tandem of Ivan Dodig of Crotia and Filip Polasek from Slovakia.

The men's doubles draw presented Ram and Salisbury with a couple challenging matches, including a three-set win in the second round and a 7-6, 7-6 verdict in the third round. 

Rajeev Ram and Joe Salisbury

Ram already is a two-time Grand Slam champion, having partnered with Krejčíková to win the 2019 Aussie Open mixed doubles title, and with Salisbury to claim the 2020 Aussie men’s doubles crown.

Ram was born in Denver and attended high school in Carmel, Indiana, still his primary residence. In 2003, he helped Illinois win the NCAA team title while also capturing the double championship.

A professional since 2004, Ram currently is ranked as the world’s No. 15 doubles player, highest among any American player.

He teamed with Venus Williams to win the silver medal in mixed doubles at the 2016 Rio Olympics. Also that he partnered with CoCo Vandeweghe to reach the mixed doubles final at the U.S. Open before losing Laura Siegemund and Mate Pavic.

Ram has won two ATP singles titles — the Hall of Fame Championships in 2009 and again in 2015, both grass-court events. His career-best singles ranking was No. 56, back in April 2016.

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Follow Jeff Faraudo of Cal Sports Report on Twitter: @jefffaraudo