CINCINNATI – Illinois men's tennis alum Rajeev Ram claimed the men's doubles crown at the Cincinnati Open, an ATP Masters 1000 event, on Sunday night. Playing with Nikola Mektic, Ram secured his first title of 2025 and the 32nd doubles title of his professional career.
Unseeded in the 32-team event, Ram/Mektic began their run with a three-set win, 3-6, 6-1, 10-8, over Adam Pavlasek and Jan Zielinski. Their first of three seeded victories came in the second round via a 7-6(3), 7-5 decision against the No. 4-seeded German duo of Kevin Krawietz and Tim Puetz.
In the quarterfinals, Ram/Mektic defeated the No. 7-seeded American partnership of Christian Harrison and Evan King by a straight-set, 6-4, 6-4, margin. Ram/Mektic continued their winning ways in the semifinals, taking down the Wimbledon champions and No. 2-seeded British pair of Julian Cash and Lloyd Glasspool. Ram/Mektic's 7-6(4), 7-6(2) triumph ended Cash/Glasspool's 22-match winning streak.
In the final, facing a fellow unseeded team in Lorenzo Sonego and Lorenzo Musetti, Ram/Mektic needed all three sets to take the title. Falling in the opening frame, 6-4, Ram/Mektic bounced back with a 6-3 decision in the second set. In the deciding set, a 10-point super tiebreaker, Ram/Mektic jumped out to a 4-0 advantage before the Italian pair battled back to even the score at 5-5. Winning the final five points of the frame, Ram/Mektic clinched their first title as a partnership.
Recording his first tournament title since January 2024, Ram looks to carry his momentum into the US Open, an event he won three times from 2021-23. The men's doubles draw in the final Grand Slam of the year is set to begin on Aug. 29 in New York City.
