Poland native-turned Pittsburgher credits tennis for his professional and personal success

His moves on the court led a Poland native to a new life in Aspinwall.

Filip Rams was 18 and living in Katowice, Poland, when he was offered a very generous tennis scholarship from Temple University in Pennsylvania.

Rams grew up playing tennis, competing globally, with aspirations of playing professional tennis.

“Tennis is definitely a top sport in Poland, along with soccer. A lot of kids played tennis in Poland and as you can imagine, it’s not a cheap sport. I got into tennis pretty early,” Rams said. “My parents played and my grandparents played a lot.”

Rams began traveling internationally at age 12 for tennis competitions.

“Not to sound arrogant, but I think I was gifted and athletically talented,” he said. “I chose tennis because it was individual and ultimately up to me. I didn’t have to rely on teammates and it was just me by myself out there.”

Learning English as a second language was bolstered by numerous trips to play tennis in America.

“It made moving to the U.S. an easier transition,” said Rams, a permanent U.S. resident with a goal of obtaining American citizenship to align with his Poland citizenship, as Poland allows dual citizenship.

Courtesy of Filip Rams

Filip Rams moved from Poland when he was 18 to play college tennis at Temple University.

After graduating from Temple University, Rams spent the next two years traveling internationally and in the U.S., playing lower-level professional tennis with the Association of Tennis Professionals.

His love of tennis remains now that Rams is 36, married, a corporate lawyer and most recently, a new father.

“I still love it,” said Rams of his continued tennis pursuits, playing platform tennis October through April. “It keeps me busy and it’s fun.”

Rams describes platform tennis as “an old country club sport,” and the level he plays is as professional as it gets.

The eldest brother of three sons, Rams grew up idolizing two professional tennis players — Australia’s Patrick Rafter and Roger Federer of Switzerland.

He earned his law degree from Duquesne University and a master’s of law, specializing in taxes, from Georgetown University and works as a Pittsburgh-based corporate attorney.

All of his American collegiate pursuits were made easier due to full academic and sports scholarships from both Duquesne and Georgetown.

“I wanted to practice tax law, it’s a nice area of law, and I was very lucky to have scholarships and that was very helpful,” he said.

Life lessons gained from playing tennis and competing have remained with Rams.

“I learned discipline, time management from tennis and through my upbringing. My family was pretty strict and my parents did not mess around. We were very structured and as the eldest of three boys, there was an added layer of responsibility,” Rams said.

Rams credits his sporting life for opening doors in both his professional and personal life.

“I did meet my wife on a tennis court in Pittsburgh,” Rams quipped of his bride of a little more than a year, Addie Rams of Aspinwall. “We play tennis together and met playing tennis. It’s our fun time together. She’s very good.”

Courtesy of Filip Rams

Filip and Addie Rams met playing tennis and reside in Aspinwall.

Rams has another love besides tennis — time cooking in the kitchen.

“I love cooking Italian food. I just love it. There’s a pasta dish called pasta alla zozzona I make and it’s got sausage, parmesan, egg yolks and bacon. It’s very rich,” Rams said.

Growing up in Poland, the Rams family ate very traditional Eastern European foods.

“We were very meat and potatoes,” Rams said. “Chicken parm is my favorite dish.”

“When he came to the States, he learned a lot of English from watching cooking shows,” Addie Rams said.

The couple are raising two young girls and love the neighborhood perks Aspinwall provides.

“I love the walkability and it’s so centrally located to everywhere. The location is great,” Filip Rams said. “This chapter has been great.”