US Open: Who is Sania Mirza's mixed doubles partner Rajeev Ram
Mirza was knocked out in the first round of the women's doubles event in US Open but will have a chance to go farther in mixed doubles.
Six-time grand slam winner Sania Mirza will begin her campaign in the mixed doubles category at the US Open 2021, later on Friday.
It comes after Mirza, paired up with American tennis player Coco Vandeweghe, was knocked out in the first round of women's doubles category after losing to Raluca Olaru and Nadiia Kichenok on Thursday.
Mirza, 34, will pair up with another American -- Rajeev Ram -- in the mixed doubles category with a chance to revive her fortunes at the ongoing US Open. Incidentally, she was supposed to partner with Ram, at Australian Open 2020 but had partnered Rohan Bopanna instead after the American had pulled out due to injury.
So, who is the American tennis player. Let us know more about him:
Rajeev Ram
Rajeev Ram, the American tennis player, was born to his Indian parents Raghav and Sushma in Denver, Colorado.
The doubles specialist turned pro in 2014. He currently trains under Bryan Smith and is ranked World No.7 in doubles. However, before his rise as one of the finest doubles players, Ram had clinched the ATP singles title twice -- 2009 and 2015 -- at the Hall of Fame Tennis Championships.
One of his biggest achievements in tennis came in Rio 2016, when he clinched the silver medal in mixed doubles with Venus Williams, after going down against Mattek-Sands and Jack Sock in an All-American final.
It was a result that was least anticipated by Ram as he was only included in the Olympic roster a few days before the Games began following the withdrawal of London 2012 gold medallist Bob and Mike Bryan.
Incidentally, it was at Rio 2016, where he faced Sania Mirza for the first time. The pair of Ram-Venus had defeated the Indian pair of Mirza and Rohan Bopanna in the mixed doubles semi-final.
His achievements has also helped him become an idol to a lot of Indian children back home in Carmel, Indiana. “I identify, certainly, with anyone of South Asian background in the U.S.,” Ram told the Washington Post.
“It’s a small group. It’s an even smaller group of people of that background who are athletic.”
The last three years has also been fulfilling for Ram as his doubles career saw a meteoric rise. He clinched the 2019 Australian Open mixed doubles title with his Czech Republic partner Barbora Krejčíková and then went on to add a men's doubles title in his cabinet from the 2020 Australian Open with Joe Salisbury. The right-handed tennis player would once again win the mixed doubles title with Krejčíková in 2021 Australian Open.