At just 17 years old, Ronit Karki has already made his mark on one of the grandest stages of tennis. Born in 2007 in East Brunswick, New Jersey, Ronit’s journey from picking up a racquet for the first time to reaching the Wimbledon Junior Boys’ Singles Final is nothing short of extraordinary.
Ronit first started playing tennis when he was four years old. Like most kids, Ronit dabbled in multiple sports before choosing to focus on tennis. That decision has paid off in a big way.
A Breakthrough at Wimbledon
Ronit Karki’s journey through the Wimbledon Junior Boys’ Singles draw was nothing short of inspiring and impressive. His campaign began in the qualifying draw, where he faced Great Britain’s Ferran Redza. Ronit opened strong, taking the match in straight sets, 7-6, 6-2. In the second round of qualifying, he then overcame a tough challenge against Hidde Schoenmakers of the Netherlands. After winning the first set in a tiebreak, Ronit dropped the second but rallied in the match tiebreak to win 7-6, 2-6, (10-6) securing his spot in the main draw.
Ronit trains in Lake Nona, Florida at the Gooding Todero Academy,
In the first few rounds of the main draw, Ronit faced many tough opponents but found his groove in each match. In the third round, quarterfinals, and semifinals, he dropped the opening set in each match, but each time, he rallied back with poise and determination, showcasing his mental strength and adaptability.
The final saw Ronit against Bulgarian, Ivan Ivanov. Despite his momentum and fighting spirit, Ronit was unable to overcome Ivanov, falling 2-6, 3-6. Though he didn’t lift the trophy, Ronit’s performance throughout the tournament earned him widespread admiration and solidified his status as one of the top junior players in the world.
A Florida-Based Journey
For the past three years, Ronit has trained at the Gooding Todero Academy in Lake Nona, Florida. His coaches and peers celebrated his Wimbledon success with a warm welcome home celebration.
“What we saw on TV with Ronit just through the rounds of Wimbledon and making the finals doesn’t happen without however many years of work beforehand,” said his coach, Jay Gooding. “That’s the gritty stuff, the not-so-fun stuff, the suffering, the determination.”
Coach Jay Gooding talked about Ronit’s work ethic during a celebration.
Gooding also praised Ronit’s mindset and wants others to follow in his footsteps. “Never once in his time here has there been an excuse. There’s not an excuse with who he’s training with, not being able to show up, not feeling well. There’s never a reason why he can’t work and get better,” Gooding said. “I hope everyone uses Ronit as a template, but also as an inspiration, because whatever your goal is, just go about it in a very basic and simple way and it’s not impossible to obtain it.”
The Road to Wimbledon Success
Three years ago, Ronit and his family made a pivotal move from New Jersey to Florida, a decision driven by his desire to elevate his game. “Growing up and training in New Jersey, you play indoors a lot of the time,” Ronit said. “Ever since I started training in Florida, the amount of court time you spend outdoors has increased. You just get to develop different areas of your game, like staying in long rallies and working to play with shape. Those kinds of areas that developed better once I moved to Florida.”
Though he missed his friends back home, Ronit quickly found a supportive community in Florida. “At first there were some good sides and bad sides. I really liked living in New Jersey, but I also wanted to take my tennis to another level,” Ronit said. “Once I got here, I had a good community around me, and I made friends quickly. I really like working with Coach Jay Gooding and Joshua Page.”
Ronit also credits his parents, Trilok and Kanchan, for instilling discipline and resilience. “I’m not like a super disciplined guy, I’d say. So, I think a lot of credit goes to them teaching me good habits when I was young and just showing me the importance of not making excuses and just showing up, even on the days when it doesn’t feel that good,” he said.
A Strong Support System
His parents have been by his side every step of the way. Trilok, Ronit’s father, was super proud of his composure and ability to battle back, and made sure to let him know that. “Tons of kids came up to him and spoke about how calm and composed he was on the court, even if he was losing,” his father said. “I was actually prouder of that [him showcasing his character than the finals results].”
Kanchan, Ronit’s mother, said it was surreal to watch him play at Wimbledon. “When you say your child plays tennis, the first question that they ask is, ‘Oh, then is he going to play Wimbledon?’ and then he actually made it to the main draw. I was so happy that we were finally playing Wimbledon, but him reaching the finals was like a dream.”
While Ronit gave a ton of credit to his parents, he also appreciated everyone that was there for him, showing their support throughout the tournament. “I was really grateful to have all of them there. From my whole family to a lot of USTA coaches, including Coach Jay Gooding, it was kind of a nice moment to see all of them there just wanting the best for me.”
Looking Ahead
Ronit’s journey is just beginning. Looking ahead, Ronit has his sights set on more junior and pro events. He is set to play the USTA Boys’ 18s National Championship in Kalamazoo and then the J300 College Park tournament. After that he plans to make another deep run at a Grand Slam, this time on home soil at the US Open.
As a High School class of 2026, he still has a year, but will be continuing his education and tennis game at the collegiate level. “I’m committed to Stanford, so I’m planning to go in Fall 2026,” he said. “I’m really excited for that.”
While college is his next step, he didn’t rule out the possibility of turning pro early. With his mindset, work ethic, strong support system, and relentless drive, the future looks bright for this rising star.
USTA Florida congratulates Ronit on his Runner-Up finish at the 2025 Wimbledon Junior Draw and wishes him and the rest of Florida Junior players the best of luck as the final stretch of the year kicks off.
