ATP Tour
Rajeev Ram ends his career after 2026 US Open farewell
Rajeev Ram has retired after the 2026 US Open, ending a decorated doubles career.
Rajeev Ram has called time on his tennis career after his final appearance at the 2026 US Open.
The American closed out his run at Flushing Meadows in doubles alongside Britain’s Joe Salisbury. Their campaign ended in the semifinals, where they were defeated by Tim Putz and Kevin Krawietz. That match proved to be Ram’s last on tour, bringing a distinguished career to a close.
Ram retires at 42 having established himself as one of the leading doubles players of his era. He won four Grand Slam titles in doubles, including three at the US Open, achievements that helped him rise to the top of the ATP Tour doubles rankings in 2022.
He confirmed the news on social media, writing: “All good things must come to an end, and with a whole host of emotions that I say goodbye to my playing career.
“The reality is that all of this started as just a game. I always thought tennis could be a sport for life for me, but I never envisioned that it would make my life.
“There were many wins and losses along the way, but I always felt like my purpose in this game was to simply work to be better today than I was yesterday.
“That was my driving force, my why, and the thing that kept me going for more than two decades. And I had the time of my life doing so.
“To any person who comes from South Asian heritage: I’m here to tell you that you can do anything you want if you commit to it. There’s no certain path you have to follow, and nothing is out of reach.
“If you set your mind to achieving your dream and surround yourself with the right people, it can happen… I’m living proof. And finally, to all of those who supported me, cheered for me, suffered with me, and loved me… Thank you.
“It’s you who took me from the boy with a passion in the first picture to the man with a lifetime of memories in the last picture. I hope I did you proud.
And Dad… there have been so many days I’ve wanted to share with you, and this is no exception. I miss you. I love you. Thank you. I hope I made you the proudest.”
His record also includes two mixed doubles Grand Slam titles at the Australian Open, in 2019 and 2021, both won with Barbora Krejčíková. Ram added two Olympic silver medals to his resume, earned in Paris and Rio, alongside Venus Williams and Austin Krajicek.
Williams later praised Ram after their run to the final of the Paris Olympics in 2024, saying: “With Serena, I expect to win — I’ve got to be honest,” she said of her younger sister, with whom she won three of those golds. We [her and Ram] had no idea how we were going to play together, so the emotion is almost even bigger because … you don’t know what to expect. It’s a wild feeling.”
“To feel what I feel with Serena with someone else, I never thought that would happen,” she said, which in many ways i the ultimate praise for the departing doubles icon.
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Alcaraz and Zverev share light moment before Laver Cup begins in London
Alcaraz and Zverev shared a light practice exchange before Team Europe opened Laver Cup week.
The Laver Cup is about to get underway at The O2 Arena in London, with Team Europe facing Team World in a weekend that brings together some of the game’s leading names.
Team Europe again arrives with considerable strength, led by Carlos Alcaraz and Alexander Zverev. Alcaraz won the Australian Open earlier this year, while Zverev captured his first and second Grand Slam titles at Roland Garros and the US Open.
Both players were on court at The O2 Arena for a practice session before the tournament starts on Friday, 25th September. During that session, a video shared on social media captured the pair discussing Zverev’s US Open final win over Ben Shelton.
Alcaraz seemed especially interested in the detail that Zverev did not immediately realise he had closed out the match point to win the Grand Slam. That led to a short exchange in which Alcaraz pressed him on what was going through his mind at the time.
“Tell me what you were thinking,” asked Alcaraz to Zverev about winning the 2026 US Open. “I was watching at home and was amazed.”
Zverev responded: “There was nothing in my head; that’s the benefit of being dumb. When you’re dumb, it helps.”
“No, no, don’t say that,” added Alcaraz, before suggesting it ended up bolstering Zverev. “I’ve been thinking about it; it’s actually really useful not to know it’s the final set.”
Zverev concluded: Yeah, I thought the score was 1-4, so I never got nervous at all. If I’d known it was 2-5, I’d have been totally stressed out.”
The German was told by his team that he had won the US Open after he sent balls back to Shelton to serve, in one of the more unusual moments of the tournament.
Alcaraz and Zverev will now move on from New York and turn their attention to a rare opportunity to play alongside one another rather than against each other. They will be joined on Team Europe by Rafael Jodar, Flavio Cobolli, Jakub Mensik, and Casper Ruud, with Yannick Noah and Tim Henman serving as captains.
Team World will include Alex de Minaur, Taylor Fritz, Francisco Cerundolo, Learner Tien, Brandon Nakashima, and Alexander Bublik. Andre Agassi and Pat Rafter will captain the side for the second straight year after guiding Team World to the title in 2025. That triumph came in San Francisco.
The Laver Cup runs from September 25th to 27th, with singles and doubles matches scheduled across the weekend.
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Ferrero’s possible return points toward Auger-Aliassime
Ferrero is linked with a possible ATP Tour coaching return, and Auger-Aliassime stands out.
Juan Carlos Ferrero may soon be back on the tennis tour as a coach, if his own recent comments are anything to go by.
“I think I’m going to come back on the tennis tour, but I can’t say with whom,” Ferrero said recently. He has not coached anyone since parting ways with Carlos Alcaraz at the end of the 2026 season.
The Spaniard, who has also worked with Alexander Zverev, is widely viewed as the most prominent coaching free agent in the game right now. Speculation around his next move has naturally centered on a few leading names.
Rafael Jodar and Jannik Sinner have both been mentioned as possible options. Jodar has been working with his father since breaking through on the ATP Tour in 2026, while Sinner is currently coached by Darren Cahill, who could retire at the end of the year.
Former American world No 1 Steve Johnson, however, sees another candidate as an especially strong match. Speaking on Nothing Major, he said: “I’m thinking maybe Felix Auger-Aliassime. Could it could be Felix? Yes, he’s trying to get over the hump. That would be a guy.
“I feel like he [Ferrero] is going to kind of get his pick at this point,” added Johnson.
“I feel like he’s earned that, you know, to jump back in with whoever he wants because if you’re one of those guys, why wouldn’t you want Ferrero on your bag? I think it’s either Jodar or Felix. I’ll take Felix.”
Auger-Aliassime recently ended his long partnership with Frederic Fontang, who had coached him for the past decade. “After nearly ten years of working together, it has recently been decided that Wimbledon would be my last tournament with Frederic by my side as my coach,” said Auger-Aliassime on social media.
“Today, I want to express my deepest respect, gratitude, and admiration for his dedication and the passion he brought every single day to helping me achieve my goals.
“Since I was 16 years old, he has guided my development and helped me experience incredible moments through this sport. He has also been by my side during the toughest moments of my career.”
With no replacement yet named, Auger-Aliassime stands out as a leading candidate if Ferrero does decide to return. The Canadian remains one of the ATP Tour’s top players and is currently ranked world No 5, leaving Ferrero with an attractive project should the partnership come together.
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Djokovic’s standards still set the bar, says his physiotherapist
Costa said Djokovic’s daily intensity and detail still set him apart from every rival he has known.
Novak Djokovic’s career has long been defined by relentless preparation, and even in the later stages of his run on the ATP Tour, the results still reflect that standard. At 39, and in his 24th season on the circuit, he has already reached the Australian Open final and the Wimbledon semi-final this year.
Fresh insight into how he maintains that level came from his physiotherapist, Carlos Costa, who spoke to A Bola, in comments translated by Jose Morgado. Costa, who has also worked with Ana Ivanovic, Tommy Haas, Kevin Anderson, Dominic Thiem, and Andrey Rublev, said Djokovic remains unlike anyone he has encountered.
“I have never seen anything like Novak Djokovic,” said Costa, who has also worked with the likes of Ana Ivanovic, Tommy Haas, Kevin Anderson, Dominic Thiem, and Andrey Rublev.
“His vision, what he puts in every single day on the court, and his intensity. I had seen something similar before, but never with Djokovic’s consistency.”
Costa also described a player who pays close attention to every detail around his routine and recovery. He said Djokovic notices even small disruptions and goes so far as to test those around him to make sure the team is giving him the best possible support.
“He pays attention to every detail. The amount of time it takes us to give him his towel… if there is something that is not planned, there is friction,” continued Costa.
“He even goes as far as creating tests within the team to find out whether we are really looking for the best recovery strategies and providing the best treatments.
“For example, he asked us why Sinner does eye training and we didn’t. He is constantly looking for ways to be the best in the world.”
Djokovic’s recent record against Jannik Sinner has been difficult, but he did defeat the Italian in a five-set battle in the Australian Open semifinals. That remains his only win in the last seven meetings between the pair.
Another meeting could be on the horizon, with both players entered for the China Open, which begins on September 30th.
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