Streak Snapped: Ram/Mektic Play Spoilers

By Richard Osborn

To Face Italy’s Musetti/Sonego in Men’s Dubs Final

Nikola Mektic (CRO)/Rajeev Ram (USA) vs. Lorenzo Musetti (ITA)/Lorenzo Sonego (ITA)
Not Before 6 P.M. | P&G Center Court

The only thing hotter than these late-summer Midwestern temps has been the British duo of Julian Cash and Lloyd Glasspool.

The No. 1-ranked tandem came into the 2025 Cincinnati Open riding a 19-match winning streak, one that included consecutive men’s doubles titles at Queen’s Club, Eastbourne, Wimbledon, and Toronto (where they saved four championship points in the final). The first team to qualify for the year-end Nitto ATP Finals, they became the first all-British team to win a major men’s doubles title since 1936. The second seeds would stretch their streak to 22 this week with a run to the semifinals.

However, the first-time pairing of American Rajeev Ram and Croat Nikola Mektic cooled them off on Saturday in two tight tiebreak sets, 7-6(4), 7-6(2), in one hour and 40 minutes.

“We knew it was going to take everything from us to be able to match them,” said Mektic. “With that mindset, it was easier for us: We knew there was no holding back. We just went full-on and played a really good match. I’m really proud of us. All credit to the guys and the streak that they had.”

“We knew they were going to have nine lives out there, for sure,” said Ram. “They deserve to be where they are in the rankings. I’m just so happy with that win.”

The upset was especially sweet for Ram, who grew up in Carmel, Ind., just a few hours’ drive from the tournament site. The Davis Cup stalwart was recently recognized by his alma mater, Carmel High School, which renamed its featured court in his honor. His return to the Lindner Family Tennis Center, where in 2022 he captured the men’s doubles title alongside Brit Joe Salisbury, feels like a true homecoming.

“At this point in my career, I think it is probably the most important thing. It’s kind of coming full circle,” said Ram, 41. “I played this for the first time as a 19-year-old in 2003, so just being able to come back and don’t get many home games in tennis. To play in front of family, friends, familiar faces, it’s pretty awesome.”

Ram has reached the No. 1 ranking in doubles, won two Olympic silver medals, and has a combined six Grand Slam titles to his credit between men’s and mixed doubles. He won the Indiana high school singles championship twice, and helped the University of Illinois to the 2003 NCAA title.

Ram put his new team’s success down to chemistry.

“I think we trust each other,” said Ram. “We’ve played each other in many big matches, Grand Slam semis, at the ATP Finals, countless more, so I think we know what each other can do. It’s nice to be on the same side of the net as someone who you’ve had to deal with in a very difficult way.”

Ram/Mektic will now turn their attention to the all-Italian twosome of Lorenzo Musetti and Lorenzo Sonego, who advanced to the final via a 4-6, 6-3 (13-11) edging of fifth seeds Salisbury/Neal Skupski of Great Britain. Musetti/Sonego needed six championship points to close it out.

“We tried to play really aggressive on the return, and we served really good today; that was the key,” said Sonego. “For us, it’s nice to share the court together, to have fun, to enjoy every moment on the court. We’re happy to reach our first final in Cincinnati.”