2023 ATP Finals: Ram returns to doubles SFs in title defense with Salisbury

After a perfect 5-0 performance en route to the Nitto ATP Finals title last year in Turin, Rajeev Ram and British partner Joe Salisbury have made another undefeated start at this year's season finale. The three-time defending US Open champions are well on their way to retaining their Turin crown, with their progress into the semifinals secured as group-leaders after two matches.

After opening their 2023 campaign Monday with a 6-3, 6-4 win against Matthew Ebden and Rohan Bopanna, Ram/Salisbury clinched first place in the Red Group with a 6-3, 3-6, 10-7 victory against second seeds Neal Skupski and Wesley Koolhof on Wednesday.

The American-British team has lost serve just once in their two matches. They cruised through their opener, saving the only break point against them, but needed a late surge to defeat Koolhof and Skupski in a rematch of their 2022 Turin semifinal.

From 3-5 in the match tiebreak, Ram and Salisbury won seven of the match's final nine points to secure their place in the knockout rounds.

The pair reached the title match at the ATP Finals in 2021 before their trophy triumph last year. But their ticket to Turin was not punched until late this season, their US Open triumph proving crucial in earning them the sixth seed at the prestigious event. They followed their New York run with another title in Vienna and also reached the Rolex Paris Masters semis ahead of Turin.