At five years old, Andy Ram began his new life in Jerusalem after his family made Aliyah from Uruguay. As a youngster, he filled his spare hours with endless tennis practice at the nearby ITEC tennis courts, falling in love with a game that quickly became his passion.
Fast forward to today, and Andy Ram is a household name in Israel; a maestro of doubles tennis and a three time Grand Slam champion. He’s toured the world, worked with numerous notable charities and is now the CEO of Pulse Play. ITEC sat down with Andy to chat about his primary influences growing up and what role the ITEC played throughout his life.
Andy, how did your tennis journey begin, and when did you start training at the ITEC?
I hit the court pretty much as soon as my family and I arrived in Israel in 1985. Though I was young and eventually picked up the language quite quickly, the first year was still challenging. I was having difficulty adjusting, so my parents decided to send me to the nearby tennis center in Jerusalem. It was the best idea they ever had. Tennis allowed me to focus, helped me to integrate into Israeli culture and burn the crazy energy I had in my feet. Every day after school I would throw on my tennis shoes and start practicing. I spent so much time on those hardcourts, that anytime I wasn’t around my mother would automatically say, “Oh, he’s off playing tennis”. The tennis center literally became my second home.
How did the ITEC contribute to your life outside the court?
Spending my entire childhood playing tennis at the ITEC meant that the place really formed a crucial part of my identity. When I turned 21 and moved to Tel Aviv, I started training at the Ramat Hasharon Tennis Center and was lucky to have some really incredible coaches and mentors. My coach, Ronen Morali, became like my second father. Everything I learned on the court; diligence, dedication, perseverance, respect; became qualities that contributed to who I became not just as a player, but also as a friend, a husband and a dad.
Did you maintain your ITEC connection outside of the major tournaments?
Absolutely. Between Grand Slams and other tournaments, I would always come back home to Israel, and my practice home ground was always the ITEC in Ramat Hasharon. It’s the best feeling, coming home to a place that I know by heart, where I grew up and have so many memories. I have travelled all over the world, but have never experienced such a wonderfully supportive tennis environment with a structure such as the ITEC.
You’re usually quite an animated guy, but your 2014 Davis Cup match proved to be particularly emotional.
That match marked not just my last Davis Cup, but also the final match of my pro tennis career. I knew, obviously, going into it that it was going to be moving game, no matter the outcome. But after the super tense match and our awesome victory at match point, I lay on the court, stared at the sky and just started crying. Something clicked, in that instance, that this would be my final pro match, and the mixed joy and sadness I’d been feeling just started pouring out. I will never forget how warm and uplifting the crowd was that day – people rushed onto the court wearing “Thank You Andy” t-shirts and literally lifted me up onto their shoulders and carried me around the court. It was a really powerful and unforgettable moment.
After the match, there was a lot of people taking photos with you, both from your past and present.
It was such a unique experience – right off the high of the win and the bittersweet knowledge that I was retiring, it was a real honor to have that moment captured. Suddenly Ian Froman came to say hi and have our photo taken. As we shook hands, I felt the tears well up in my eyes again. Here was a man, who along with five others, had a vision to create the largest tennis program for children in the world. If it wasn’t for him and the ITEC, I would not be standing where I am today, or have enjoyed the fantastic sporting experiences that I have had to date. Today, most retired tennis players gravitate to coaching or advertising.
But you’re turning that preconception on its head and launching a tennis-focused start up. What’s been the motivation for this?
When I retired, I knew I had it in me to do something more, something different. So I founded Pulse Play, and right now I’m working with a talented team developing a complete fitness wearable for amateur tennis and other racket sports. It’s the first fitness wearable that not only keeps score, announces and records game history, but also provides amateur players with a global ranking system. It’s social, fun, connects players with new opponents and gives regular players a professional playing experience. I know from playing pro tennis that these are the things that can really take a player’s experience to the next level, so making Pulse Play a reality is incredibly motivating for me.
It was always obvious to me that the moment I would retire, giving back to the ITEC would become a priority and a privilege. So I’m very excited to be partnering up with the ITEC, assisting with their great tennis programs around the country, and giving their players the first opportunity to enjoy Pulse Play. The ITEC has been my second home, and I know I will always stay connected to this great organization.
PHOTO CREDIT: Israel Tennis Association