Carlos Ramos - Respectable career in the shadow of the greats
After 32 years, Carlos Ramos ended his career as a professional referee in Estoril. The Portuguese became known worldwide through the scandal surrounding Serena Williams in the final of the US Open 2018.
by Dietmar Kaspar
last edit:
Apr 11, 2023, 10:42 pm
Casper Ruud celebrated a personal anniversary when he raised his tenth ATP trophy to the sky in Estoril. Nevertheless, this final should remain in the memory of the third protagonist of the final on the referee's chair for much longer.
Looking back at 32 years of service to tennis
In 1991, Carlos Ramos set out to travel the tennis world as an active referee. An often thankless task, as one often has to endure hostility from the racket protagonists or the audience. Worked up to the so-called Gold Badge of the ITF, the 52-year-old had a splendid career in the hot seat. What many players dream of and what was reserved for only one player among the currently active players with Rafael Nadal, he should even succeed in the “Golden Career Slam” with appearances in the individual finals in all four Grand Slam tournaments and the Olympic Games , which otherwise only his female colleague Alison Hughes from Great Britain has achieved to date.
Scandal surrounding Serena Williams at the US Open 1018
Normally, the ideal of a successful referee is that the spectator can no longer remember the referee after the match. However, Ramos never went the easy way in his career and quickly made a name for himself on the tour, so that he did not shy away from making decisions, even sanctioning the greats of tennis for misconduct. This became particularly evident in an event whose consequences he could well have done without. In the women's singles final of the US Open 2018, he gave Serena Williams a total of three warnings due to coaching and verbal criticism of the referee's performance, which paved the way for the loss to Naomi Osaka after a point and game penalty. In the aftermath, these events were to expand into a verbal debate about sexism.
Circle closes in Estoril
There couldn't have been a more suitable place for the final retreat from the referee's chair for the Lisbon-born Ramos. Following the Estoril final at what is currently the only ATP tournament on Portuguese soil, about 25 kilometers west of the capital, he was honored for his services before the trophies were handed over to the players. In all modesty, Ramos said goodbye to the audience with emotional words: "I could not have dreamed of a nicer farewell as a chair umpire and I am so incredibly grateful. But now I hand over to the players who played the final and are the only ones who really deserve to be on the podium here.”