OLYMPIC GAMES
Olympic Games

Rajeev Ram breaks Spanish hearts and angers fans even more after 2016 Olympic Games debacle

Ram and Austin Krajicek took down Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz.

Rajeev Ram at the 2024 and 2016 Olympic Games.
Rajeev Ram at the 2024 and 2016 Olympic Games.LAPRESSE
Actualizado

Rajeev Ram has had an interesting career, and he's still competing at a high level at 40 years old. That much is clear, as he and doubles teammate Austin Krajicek took down favorites Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz on Wednesday, advancing to the semifinals in the process.

Although this is a great accomplishment for both Ram and Krajicek, they broke many hearts in the process. Alcaraz and Nadal are adored globally by fans, and many wanted to see them advance and win gold. In addition, a lot of people have not forgotten what happened with Ram in 2016.

'We wanted to go home with a medal' - Nadal after Olympic dream endsLAPRESSE

Fans still blame Rajeev Ram for loss with Venus Williams

During the 2016 Summer Olympics, Ram and Venus Williams advanced to the gold medal match in mixed doubles. They ended up falling to fellow Americans Bethanie Mattek-Sands and Jack Sock. Many blamed Ram for the loss, which would have made Williams the sole owner of the most gold medals in Olympics tennis history if they had won.

But before it even got that far, Ram broke Indian hearts as well by defeating Sania Mirza and Rochan Bopanna in the semifinals. That has not been lost on Indian tennis fans.

Considering Ram's parents are both Indian, it was surely a conflicting feeling at the time, and it's a shame he couldn't follow it up with a gold medal.

Now, he has incurred the wrath of just about everyone. But who can blame him? After all, he's just trying to win medals for himself and the country of his birth.

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