Rajeev Ram

As athletes, we overcome challenges on a daily basis. Sometimes they’re an opponent across the net, but the most difficult ones are always on our side of the net—the ones within us. I had many goals at the start of my career, two of them being to win a grand slam championship and to become number one in the world. At times, both seemed so far away—out of reach, almost. I watched many of my peers reach at least one of them. A few reached both. I wondered if it would ever be my turn. While confidence can go up and down, my self-belief didn’t change. I trusted what I was doing, the path I was on, and the people I had around me. As it turned out, in 2020 I became the player to have played the most grand slams before winning one, and in 2022 the oldest ever first-time number one in men’s doubles. I was proud not only to reach these goals, but also of my persistence in getting there.

In a world where the tendency is to want everything to happen immediately, I actually believe the most meaningful experiences come to those who wait.