“At the moment, yes” – Rajeev Ram on whether he is available for US Davis Cup team in 2023

The world No 3 doubles player was not picked for the Davis Cup Finals in November by US captain Mardy Fish despite an extra spot being available on the team

Rajeev Ram and Jack Sock at the 2021 Davis Cup Image Credit: Zuma / Panoramic

Haresh Ramchandani

January 5, 2023

Rajeev Ram, who became the oldest first-time world No 1 doubles player in men’s tennis in October and is the current world No 3, has said that as things stand, he is available for the United States Davis Cup this year.

Ram, who turns 39 in March, was controversially not named in the U.S. squad for the Davis Cup Finals in November by captain Mardy Fish, who elected to go with three singles players and picked Jack Sock over Rajeev Ram as the doubles player.

The decision come under scrutiny more so because all teams were eligible to name five members to their squad.

“It depends on the captain, who that is” – Ram

With the US going down to Italy in the deciding doubles in the quarter-finals, captain Fish’s decision came under even more criticism.

Speaking in Pune where he partnered Joe Salisbury to beat the Indo-Mexican duo of Ramkumar Ramanathan and Miguel Angel Reyes-Varela 6-2, 6-1 in 56 minutes to reach the semi-finals on Thursday, Ram said as things stand, he is available for the team.

“That’s a good question,” Ram responded when asked if he would make himself available for the Davis Cup squad in 2023. “Depends on the captain, who that is. But at the moment, yes.”

The United States’ next fixture in the annual competition is an away tie against Uzbekistan in early February in the Davis Cup Qualifiers.