Rajeev Ram prevails over Matthew Ebden in the final qualifier – Atlanta Tennis Championships 2011
American Rajeev Ram, ranked 272nd in the world, upset world number 139 Matthew Ebden of Australia in straight sets 7-6(4), 6-3 in the final round of the qualifying draw at the Atlanta Championships in Atlanta on Monday.
Ram took just an hour and sixteen minutes to oust his opponent.
Ebden and Ram did not drop their serve in the first set and squared off the score at 6-6, taking the set to a tie-break. The American claimed an early mini-break in the tie-break and did not lose any point on his own serve to win
it 7-4.
The Carmel resident hit 56 percent of the first serves and fired four aces in the opening set. Ram had a superb conversion rate, converting an incredible 89 percent of the first serves and 80 percent of the second serves into points
in the first set. In comparison, Ebden did not have that impressive service conversion rate as he won 77 percent of the first service points and 71 percent of the second service points in the opening set. The Australian could not handle his opponent’s first
serve, winning just 11 percent of the first return points. The Perth resident, however, saved both break points he faced in the first set.
Carrying the winning momentum into the second set, Ram took an early lead as he broke the Australian in the fourth game and held his serve in the next game to grab a 4-1 lead. The American capitalised on the single break of serve,
sealing the set 6-3.
The six feet and four inches tall delivered 65 percent of the first serves and two aces in the second set. The difference between both players was the return of serve as Ram claimed 39 percent of the first return points compared
to just thirteen by his opponent. The American capitalised on one of the four break point opportunities he created on Ebden’s serve in the second set.
Ram has a 0-1 win/loss record in 2011. Before this tournament, the American featured in the main draw of only one tour level event this season. The right-handed was beaten by Spain’s Fernando Verdasco in straight sets 3-6, 2-6
in the round of 32 at the SAP Open. The 27-year-old fell in the final qualifier at SA Tennis Open, US Men’s Clay Court Tennis Championships and the Campbell’s Hall of Fame Tennis Championships. Last week, Ram lost to Dudi Sela of Israel in straight sets 4-6,
2-6 in the second round at the Granby challenger.
The American will meet fifth seed, Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov in the first round of the main draw.
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