Andy Ram
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| Country |  Israel |
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| Residence | Jerusalem, Israel | |
| Date of birth | 10 April 1980 | |
| Place of birth | Montevideo, Uruguay | |
| Height | 5ft 11in (180 cm) | |
| Weight | 182 lbs (82 kg) | |
| Turned Pro | 1998 | |
| Plays | Right; One-handed backhand | |
| Career Prize Money | $916,103 | |
| Singles | ||
| Career record: | 3 - 11 | |
| Career titles: | 0 | |
| Highest ranking: | 187 (14 August 2000) | |
| Grand Slam results | ||
| Australian Open | DNP | |
| French Open | DNP | |
| Wimbledon | 1st (2004) | |
| U.S. Open | DNP | |
| Doubles | ||
| Career record: | 134 - 90 | |
| Career titles: | 10 | |
| Highest ranking: | 9 (15 May 2006) | |
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Infobox last updated on: 17 January, 2007. |
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Andy Ram (born April 10, 1980, in Montevideo, Uruguay) is a professional tennis player from Israel and the first Israeli tennis player to win a Grand Slam event.[1]
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[edit] Tennis career
Ram started playing tennis at the age of five.
Ram became a professional tennis player in 1996 at the age of 16, but did not compete in a Grand Slam tournament until 2001.
He reached 18 doubles finals and won 10 of them, mostly with partner Jonathan Erlich.
In 2003 Ram won the doubles title at the RCA Championship with Croatian Mario Ancic.
With partner Jonathan Erlich his groundbreaking achievement involved reaching the semifinal of Wimbledon championships in 2003 as unknown qualifiers. They defeated three seeded opponents en route to the semifinals. In the quarterfinals, in a match that saw no service break from either side, Ram and Erlich defeated No. 2 seeded Mark Knowles and Daniel Nestor in straight sets: 7-6 (10-8), 7-6 (7-2), 7-6 (9-7). In the semi's, Ram and Erlich -- the first Israelis to ever advance to the semifinals in any Grand Slam event --lost to the defending Wimbledon champions, Jonas Bjorkman and Todd Woodbridge.
Ram reached the 2003 Wimbledon mixed doubles final with Anastassia Rodionova of Russia. The couple lost to tennis legend Martina Navratilova and Leander Paes.
Ram and Jonathan Erlich then won the Thailand Open in September and the Lyon tournament in October 2003. They also won first place in Indianapolis, Istanbul, India, Rotterdam, and Milan.
Ram teamed competed in the mixed doubles event at the 2004 Roland Garros with partner Petra Mandula of Hungary, and made it as far as the quarterfinals where they lost to Daniela Hantuchova and doubles ace Todd Woodbridge.
Ram and Erlich were triumphant yet again in the Lyon International Series tournament in October 2004. They defeated Jonas Bjorkman and Radek Stepanek in the final with a 7-6(2), 6-2 victory.
In the 2005 Australian Open Ram paired up with Conchita Martinez of Spain in the mixed doubles event. Martinez and Ram pulled off an impressive coup in the quarterfinals, beating top seeds Daniel Nestor and Rennae Stubbs 7-5, 6-7 (3-7), 7-6 (14-12). They fell in the semifinals to Aussie pair Scott Draper and Samantha Stosur 7-5, 6-3.
Ram and Erlich won their fourth major tournament in Rotterdam in February 2005, beating Czechs Cyril Suk and Pavel Vizner for the honors.
Ram and Erlich missed the 2005 Roland Garros grand slam tournament. Ram's father had passed away as he was preparing to fly to France.
Ram and Erlich played in the mixed doubles competion in Wimbledon 2005. They faced Kevin Ullyett and Liezel Huber in the quarterfinals, and were eliminated 6-4, 3-6, 8-6.
They reached 8th place in the doubles race ranking at the end of 2005, and served as alternates at the Masters Cup in Shanghai.
He became the first Israeli to win a Grand Slam title in Pro's. He won the 2006 Wimbledon mixed doubles with Vera Zvonareva 6-2, 6-3 against Bob Bryan and Venus Williams. Ram also played with Zvonareva in the 2006 US Open.
Ram and Erlich finished 2006 in the top eight, and qualified for the Tennis Masters Cup for the first time.
Ram trained at the Israel Tennis Centers. [2]
[edit] Davis Cup
Ram has played on Israel's Davis Cup team in 2001-07, most recently splitting both matches in Israel's 3-2 win over Great Britain, and winning both of his matches in Israel's 5-0 win over Luxembourg.[1]
[edit] Olympics
Erlich and Ram represented Israel at Athens Olympic Games in 2004, and reached the quarterfinals. Ranked 8th overall, in the 1st round they defeated Thomas Enqvist and Robin Soderling of Sweden, 7-5, 6-3, and then beat Russians Igor Andreev and Nikolay Davydenko in the 2nd round, 6-4, 6-1. In the quarterfinals they were defeated by Germans Nicolas Kiefer and Rainer Schuettler in three sets, 6-2, 2-6, 2-6.
[edit] Personal life
In September 2006, Ram married Shiri, his girlfriend of 10 years.
