Newport, July 13: Rajeev Ram, a lucky loser from qualifying, made the most of his second chance by winning the ATP Hall of Fame Championship on Sunday, rallying to beat third seed Sam Querrey in the final.
The 25-year-old American of India heritage outlasted Querrey 6-7 (3/7), 7-5, 6-3 to capture his first ATP crown at the USD 500,000 grasscourt event.
Ram only reached the main draw after US top seed Mardy Fish was called to the US Davis Cup team because of an injury to Andy Roddick following his marathon Wimbledon final loss to Roger Federer.
The Americans lost their Davis Cup tie at Croatia but Ram reached his first ATP final and captured the first all-American final at Newport since Taylor Dent beat James Blake in 2002.
Ram double-faulted away a break in the 12th game of the first set to force a tie-breaker, then Querrey won five of the first six points in the decider on his way to taking the set after Ram sent a forehand long.
Ram broke Querrey in the final game of the second set, then broke him again in the second game of the third set before Querrey broke back with a topspin lob winner in the next game.
Querrey, whose only ATP title came last year at Las Vegas, surrendered a break for a 5-3 lead when Ram dropped a forehand volley winner and Ram held serve to close out the match.
—-Agencies