CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu’s Ramkumar Ramanathan, has kicked off the year in spectacular fashion, representing India in the Davis Cup tie against Pakistan in Islamabad. His contribution not only defeated Pakistan but also secured India a spot in World Group 1, marking a historic visit after 60 years.
Reflecting on the historic victory, Ramkumar said, “It was special winning in Pakistan. It’d stay very close to my heart. Obviously, it is not easy playing away, representing the country, and winning against Pakistan feels truly gratifying.”
Ramkumar’s year has been nothing short of busy, having recently clinched the Doubles Title with Saketh Myneni at the ATP Chennai Challenger. Currently vying for the singles title at the Bengaluru Open, Ramkumar remains focused on extending his winning streak.
“It has been a good year so far, with a surge in fan support in both Chennai and Bengaluru, which is heartening. The Round of 16 match against top-seed Luca Nardi was intense. Although I faced challenges in the first set, I improved my serving in the second set, securing crucial points to clinch the win,” said Ramkumar, reflecting on his round of 16 tie against Nardi.
Looking forward, post the Bengaluru Open, Ramkumar is determined to maintain his impressive form, participating in tournaments to climb the rankings. With an eye on the Indian team’s World Group 1 tie against Sweden in September, he stated, “I aim to play a lot of singles contests, maintaining the same level of performance, while also doing well in doubles. If possible, I’d like to secure a spot in Wimbledon; that’s my goal.”
Ramkumar will face South Korea’s Hong Seong-chan in the quarter-final on Friday, and he will be playing in the doubles quarter-final against Mark Wallner and Jakob Schnaitter of Germany.