Rajeev Ram captures the title beating Jan Hernych – Ortisei Challenger 2011
Rajeev Ram, American world No.149, smashed out Czech world No. 164, Jan Hernych, in the final round match of Ortisei Challenger 2011 on Sunday, 13th of November 2011. The two fought out strong, however, the American
proved the better contender as he ousted his title match rival 7-5, 3-6, 7-6(6) to lift up the title.
Kicking off with the title match, Hernych served first rolling down the scoreboard, 1-0. Following the world No.164, Ram served out his opening game of the match to even up the scores at 1-1. Winning away games of respective serves,
the two levelled up again at 2-2, 3-3, 4-4 and then on 5-5.
Supposedly going into a tiebreaker, Ram twisted the set breaking the lower ranked Czech in game eleven and served out game twelve to finish off the first set of the match, 7-5, to lead the match 1-0.
Losing the first set, Hernych followed with serving first for the second set. Serving the set opener, Czech mustered away winning the first game with a double game point winner rolling down the scoreboard, 1-0. Ram, however, followed
up strong, winning game two with a triple game point winner evening up the scores at 1-1. Both players won a game each next, 2-2, before Hernych struck back.
Serving out game five, 3-2, Czech broke the higher ranked American, 4-2, game six, and followed with serving out the seventh game to lead the set 2-5. With one more game left to bag the set, Hernych served out one out of the last
two games of the set to finish off with a 6-3 win over the American levelling up the match scores, 1-1.
Moving on with the decider, American world No.149 continued with serving first, winning a double game point to score the first game of the set, 1-0. Hernych followed the American, winning his first game of the set, and levelled
up, 1-1.
The first breakpoint came in game four, when Ram broke Czech world No.164 and served out game five to lead the set, 4-1. Hernych made a comeback when he served out game eight, 3-5, broke the higher ranked in game nine, 4-5, and
served out game ten to level up the scores at 5-5.
The set eventually went into a tiebreaker with Ram serving first. Winning one after the other, the two levelled up at 1-1, 3-3, 5-5 and then on 6-6. Ram finalized the match as he bagged the next two points winning the set 7-6(6)
and the match and finally his second ATP Challenger tour title of the year.
Winning the title, Ram has jumped 23 places in the table. On the contrary, Hernych has moved up 44 places after his run in the Ortisei Challenger 2011.
Tags: