“Experiences like this push us harder to play these kinds of events more often” – Ramkumar Ramanathan / Anirudh Chandrasekhar
Cincinnati, OH – In the high-stakes world of professional tennis, sometimes the biggest victories aren’t reflected on the scoreboard. For the Indian doubles duo of Ramkumar Ramanathan and Anirudh Chandrasekhar, their debut at the prestigious ATP Cincinnati Masters was a testament to belief, risk, and the invaluable experience gained by testing themselves against the very best.
After getting into the main draw as alternates, they drew the formidable No. 1 seeds, Marcelo Arevalo and Mate Pavic. Despite a valiant effort, they narrowly lost a tight two-setter, 6−7(5),4−6. Following the match, Sarika Reddy from Indian Tennis Daily caught up with the pair to discuss their performance, the gamble that brought them to Cincinnati, and the fire this experience has lit for their future.
Q: A tough loss, but an incredibly close match against the world’s top team. What are your immediate thoughts?
Ramkumar Ramanathan: It was a very close match. We are happy we got a chance to compete in one of the best tournaments and I think we stayed close. We definitely had chances in the first set; we were serving in the tiebreak with a mini-break, but that’s how it goes. I think we had fun out there. The crowd was good, we had quite a few Indian people supporting us, and we tried our best. We did everything possible.
Ultimately, they are the number one seeds and they’ve been playing for a while—they’re very experienced. That experience showed up in the big moments and we have to agree that they were the better team today. But we still had our chances, and we are happy with how we competed and stayed in the match.
Anirudh Chandrasekhar: Even though they were the No. 1 team, we believed from the start that we were right there with them. The conditions were fast, so it wasn’t easy to return well. We knew a tiebreak was the most likely scenario in the first set, and that’s exactly what happened. At 5−4 in the tiebreak, we had a great opportunity to close out the set. Maybe we could have been a little more clinical with our calls there, but I think that will come with experience. They showed their class on the big points, and that’s what made the difference.
Q: Given you got in as alternates, did you have any time to prepare specifically for this matchup against the top seeds?
Ramkumar Ramanathan: Not really, because we only found out one match before ours when [Andrey] Rublev’s team pulled out late. However, we had enough time to get ready mentally. We were always hoping we would get a chance because it’s a big draw, it’s hot here, and we’ve often seen alternates getting in. We are thankful to God that we got a chance to play; that’s the most important thing.
We also got some great support. Rohan Bopanna gave us a few inputs on how they play, as he’s played them many times, so that helped us. I also shared a little bit with Ani. These small things—where to serve, where to cover—definitely help. Our coach, PC Vignesh, is also helping us. He’s on the call all the time. I think these things matter a lot because while we play with our strengths, we don’t always see the big picture, like what to do for clarity in big moments. These minor adjustments can change matches. It’s good to have a support team, and of course, Coach Sanjay sir is also here.
Anirudh Chandrasekhar: Yes, we definitely had some time to prepare. We didn’t know exactly what to expect in terms of conditions because we were playing on a bigger court and at a time when it’s really hot. We knew it was going to be a struggle for all four players out there. So, we had some mental battles to fight, but we are just grateful for the opportunity to be here and compete. Hopefully, things will only get better from here.
Q: You were five spots out on the alternates list. What convinced you to come all the way here and take that risk?
Ramkumar Ramanathan: Because it was an ATP 1000. When we saw we were six spots out, we really had to convince ourselves to come. We had lost in the first round the week before, so it was a tough call. We talked it over, and somehow, we just felt like we would get a chance. And we did.
I was also convinced for another reason. I played here in singles in 2017, and I have great memories. I won a match back then and also got in as an alternate, reaching the second round. These courts are really good for our game, so all these factors played into the decision to come over.
Anirudh Chandrasekhar: I just trusted Ram’s call here. Historically, this tournament sees a few alternates get in because of how close it is to the US Open. Many singles players don’t want to take a chance if they have any niggles. He was convinced, so I was too.
Q: Ram, you mentioned your debut here in 2017. How do you think the venue and the tournament have evolved over time?
Ramkumar Ramanathan: The ATP and the tournaments are doing a great job for the players. This is one of the best centers. When I came here in 2017, it was already good, but they are always improving. The ATP is for the players, and they’re doing everything possible with the facilities to make us feel good.
Q: And Anirudh, this was your debut at a Masters 1000 event. How has the overall experience been for you?
Anirudh Chandrasekhar: This is the dream. It’s the dream for every tennis player to play at the highest level. I had a great time on court as well, so I have no regrets.
Ramkumar Ramanathan: And this is what pushes us. Experiences like this push us harder to play these kinds of events more often. When we see this level and feel this atmosphere, the motivation and the drive are automatically there. It just keeps pushing us forward.
