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Ramesh Krishnan

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Ramesh Krishnan (Tamil: ரமேஷ் கிருஷ்ணன்) (born 5 June 1961) is a tennis coach and former professional tennis player from India. As a junior player in the late-1970s, he won the boy's singles titles at both Wimbledon and the French Open. He went on to reach three Grand Slam quarter-finals in the 1980s, and was part of the Indian team which reached the final of the Davis Cup in 1987. He became India's Davis Cup captain in 2007.

Ramesh was born in Madras, India, and is the son of Ramanathan Krishnan, who was one of India's leading tennis players in the 1960s.

Ramesh emulated an achievement of his father's by winning the Wimbledon junior title in 1979. He also won the French Open junior title that year, and was ranked the No. 1 junior player in the world.

At the senior level, Ramesh reached the quarter-finals at Wimbledon once (1986) and the US Open twice (1981 and 1987).

Ramesh was a key member of the Indian team which reached the Davis Cup final in 1987. In the semi-finals against Australia, he beat John Fitzgerald in four sets the opening singles match, and then defeated Wally Masur in straight sets the decisive fifth rubber to give India a 3-2 victory. However in the final against Sweden, India was defeated 5-0 with Krishnan losing two singles matches to Mats Wilander and Anders Jarryd. Ramesh was a stalwart on India's Davis Cup team from 1977 to 1993, compiling a 29-21 winning record (23-19 in singles and 6-2 in doubles).

In the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona, Ramesh reached the men's doubles quarter-finals partnering Leander Paes.

Ramesh retired from the professional tour in 1993. Over the course of his career, he won eight top-level singles titles and one doubles title. His career-high singles ranking was World No. 23 (in January 1985). His career prize-money totalled US$1,263,130.

In 1998, Ramesh was awarded the Padma Shri by the Government of India in recognition of his achievements and contributions to Indian tennis.

Ramesh is presently running a tennis academy in Chennai, formerly known as Madras, set up along the lines of similar institutions in the United States. He became India's Davis Cup captain in January 2007.

Career highlights

  • 1979 - Wimbledon and French Open junior singles champion.
  • 1981 - US Open - reached the quarter-finals.
  • 1986 - Wimbledon - reached the quarter-finals.
  • 1987 - US Open - reached the quarter-finals.
  • 1987 - Member of the Indian team which reached the final of the Davis Cup. (Krishnan won the decisive singles rubber against Australia in the semi-finals. India went on to lose to Sweden in the final.)
  • 1989 - Defeated the then-World No. 1 Mats Wilander in the second round of the Australian Open.
  • 1992 - Olympic Games in Barcelona - reached the men's doubles quarter-finals partnering Leander Paes.
  • Won eight top-level professional singles titles and one doubles title.
  • Reached a career-high singles ranking of World No. 23.
  • 1986 - Won Japan Open.
  • 1987 - Reached the quarter-finals of 1987 South Australian Open and 1987 Heineken Open in back to back weeks in January.
  • 1988 - Won the Wellington Open, Runners Up in the ATP Auckland Open, Runners up in the Bristol Open, Runners Up in the Rye Brook, New York Open.
  • 1989 - Won the ATP Auckland Open, reached the quarter-finals of the Schenectady, New York Open and Washington D.C. Open in back to back weeks in July. He reached the quarter-finals of the Livingston, New Jersey Open.
  • 1990 - Won the Schenectady open and reached the semi-finals of the 1990 Heineken Open.
  • 1991 - Reached the quarter-finals of the Wellington Open.
  • 1992 - Reached the semi-finals of the Singapore Open.