It’s always sweeter when you can share success with others around you. Did you take any time to celebrate earlier this month? I imagine you received many messages of congratulations.
RAM: Yeah, I did. At the end of the day, I wouldn’t have been able to do it without others’ help. I don’t think these kinds of things happen alone. I really don’t believe that. Anyone who says they would’ve done something significant alone, I don’t think is fully aware of it. The second thing, nothing really to celebrate per se. For me, the celebration was more just sort connecting and sharing it with some folks that I don’t always talk to that have helped along the way and just expressing my gratitude for what they’ve meant, to my tennis career and life in general. And it’s two minutes, three minutes, whatever it is. But I think it’s important and that to me is probably more special than having a celebration if you will.
One aspect of your achievement that has obvious focus on is the statistical side of you becoming the oldest first-time world No. 1 in ATP doubles history. Can you talk a little bit just about your path specifically and maybe how this reinforces there isn’t one way to get to the top?
RAM: I think I have a record of the most Grand Slams played before winning one, and now this. I used to run away from those types of things a little bit, but I embrace it a little bit more now. Everyone has their own path and that’s really true. And perhaps when it takes a little bit longer, maybe it means a little bit more, maybe it’s a little sweeter, you realize all the ups and downs and all that. But I think everyone’s just on their own path to reaching their potential and mine just was a little bit longer than most. And that’s okay. I’m proud of the fact that I hung in there and stayed the course for as long as I did even though things don’t always happen very quickly for me.
To that, your path in the last few years has been one with Joe Salisbury. You’ve been consistently strong, especially at the bigger tournaments. But from your side of the court, how would you say maybe you’ve reinvented your game to stay so competitive?
RAM: From my end what has made us consistent is that we share a common goal of always trying to improve and always trying to get the best out of each other and ourselves. And that sometimes leads to brutally honest conversations and some difficult things to share. But so far in our four years, it’s always led to better consistency, a better level and better results. I’m hoping that’s a trend that we keep going for not necessarily the results—that’s not in our control—but more just how we go about trying to achieve them. I feel like that’s the behind-the-scenes work that maybe isn’t always shown on the match court, but it is a lot of that stuff, just trying to be completely transparent with everything that we’re doing.
I was going to ask how do you keep things fresh and moving forward in a partnership that’s developed for a considerable time? In today’s sport, you don’t generally see these five-year collaborations, but you two have stuck it out and perhaps it’s a testament to having that openness you referred to.
RAM: I think the other thing is that we don’t spend every waking moment together. We share a lot of time together on the court, both in practice and in matches, and travel to the same tournaments and play them. But we’re not eating every meal together. We are different ages in different phases of our tennis careers, so we’re not spending that much time with each other off the court. It’s kind of planned that way. Going and having our own space in certain areas has been really helpful for us. When we do get on court, we’re both excited to be there and work.