Meet Joseph Rahme: Tennis Pro

We had the good fortune of connecting with Joseph Rahme and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Joseph, did college have a meaningful and positive impact for you?
College was the best step I could’ve taken in life. I was a good junior tennis player, graduating from high school. I was not good enough to be a professional yet, and if I went to college in South Africa, where I’m from, sports take a major backseat to the studies. We do not have a collegiate athletic system in South Africa, like the NCAA in the US. So I made the jump, and attended the University of Nebraska-Lincoln on a tennis scholarship. I was able to combine my tennis and studies, a great fit for me. I landed up with a degree in Business, and became a professional tennis player. If it wasn’t for college, I would never have achieved and got to where I am today

How did you get to where you are today professionally. Was it easy? If not, how did you overcome the challenges? What are the lessons you’ve learned along the way.
The jump from junior tennis, to college tennis, is a huge step. On a scale of 1 to 10, 1 being a junior tennis player, and 10 being a pro, I would say the college level is at an 8. For my first two years in college, I STRUGGLED to just make one of the last spots on the Nebraska tennis team. But I worked very hard, and was dedicated to becoming the best tennis player that I could be. At the end of my sophomore year, I became the Big 8 Conference singles champion at the #6 singles position, ending the year by winning 14 straight singles matches in a row. I had become one of the, if not THE best #6 singles player in the nation. This set the foundation and tone for the rest of my college career, where I would play #1 singles and doubles for Nebraska, and would become one of the best college tennis players in the nation. I played tennis professionally on the ATP for 8 straight years after college. Being South African, one of the biggest struggles was obtaining visas to play in different countries around the world. It was also difficult not having a financial sponsor, like a lot of other tennis pros from other countries. I traveled on my own money and earnings, on a tight budget, and always just trying to make ends meet.

Any great local spots you’d like to shoutout?
We would definitely go to a Falcons or Braves game, which ever season it is. I also enjoy three South African restaurants in Atlanta, they remind me of home: 10° South, Yebo, and Biltong Bar. The World of Coca-Cola is a must-see, incredible, as well as CNN Studio Tours. Fernbank Museum is also a must, as well as Cyclorama, a Civil War cylindrical panoramic painting, of the Battle of Atlanta. We would also go to the Stone Mountain laser show, and definitely eat at The Varsity, an Atlanta icon.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My parents, Allan and Shirley Rahme