Ramkumar Ramanathan (born 8 November 1994) is an Indian tennis player from Chennai, known for his powerful serve and his serve-and-volley game. In 2018 he became the first Indian in seven years to reach an ATP Tour singles final, at Newport. He has since won ATP doubles titles, including with Rohan Bopanna, and won a silver medal in men’s doubles at the Asian Games in 2023. He has been a regular member of India’s Davis Cup team since 2016.
Quick Facts
| Full name | Ramkumar Ramanathan |
| Born | 8 November 1994, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India |
| Age | 31 |
| Sport | Tennis |
| Plays | Right-handed, two-handed backhand |
| Turned professional | 2009 |
| Highest ranking | Singles No. 111 (2018); doubles No. 58 (2022) |
| Height | 1.88 m |
Early Life
Ramkumar began playing tennis at five in Chennai, encouraged by his father, Ramanathan, a businessman. As a teenager he moved to Spain to train at the Sánchez-Casal Academy in Barcelona, which shaped his game and fitness.
Career
He first made headlines at the 2014 Chennai Open when, as a qualifier, he beat India’s then top player Somdev Devvarman. In 2017 at Antalya in Turkey he beat the world number eight Dominic Thiem on grass, one of the biggest wins by an Indian singles player in years.
At the Hall of Fame Open in Newport, Rhode Island, in July 2018 he reached the final, the first Indian in an ATP singles final since Devvarman in 2011. He lost to the American Steve Johnson in three sets and climbed to a career-high ranking of 111.
After many near misses in Grand Slam singles qualifying he turned more to doubles. In January 2022 he and Bopanna won the Adelaide International, and they added the Maharashtra Open in Pune the following month. He finally qualified for a Grand Slam singles main draw at Wimbledon in 2022.
He won silver in men’s doubles with Saketh Myneni at the Asian Games in Hangzhou in 2023. He has played singles and doubles for India in the Davis Cup, including in the tie against Pakistan in Islamabad in February 2024, which India won 4–0.
Major Results
Frequently Asked Questions
When and where was Ramkumar Ramanathan born?
Ramkumar Ramanathan was born on 8 November 1994 in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India and is 31 years old.
Featured image: Ramkumar Ramanathan plays a forehand at the Citi Open, Washington, July 2018. Photo by Keith Allison, licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
