Rajeev Ram upsets Brian Baker in opening round – Farmers Classic 2012
In an all-American duel, Rajeev Ram stunned his eighth seeded compatriot, Brian Baker, in straight sets at the Farmers Classic 2012 on Monday. He penned down a 7-6(3), 7-5 victory against the 27-year-old to secure a place in the round of 16 at this Emirates
Airline US Open series event taking place in Los Angeles, California.
Ram showed superb skills and abilities, eventually carving out the victory in his first encounter against the world number 79. After stealing the show in one hour and 42 minutes, the unseeded American not only took lead in the FedEx ATP (Association of Tennis
Professionals) Head 2 Head series by 1-0 against Baker but also powered into the second round.
The 28-year-old made a sloppy entry at this ATP World Tour 250 series event and suffered the first blow in the second game to fall at 0-2. He recovered in the very next game but lost his serve again and went 1-4 down. However, Ram remained calm and not only
snatched his break back in the seventh game but also dragged the set to a tie-breaker. He prevailed in it and clicked the opener with a 7-6(3) score line.
Ranked 117th in the South African Airways ATP World Tour Rankings, Ram lost his direction again towards the follow-up set and after gifting away his serve in the opening game, he went 0-2 down. However, the American underdog held his composure
and not only recovered in the fourth game but got the breakthrough in the last game, eventually sealing the set by winning seven games to five.
Summing up the winning American’s performance at the Los Angeles Tennis Center, Ram clobbered a poor first serve share of 51 per cent as opposed to his rival’s 76 per cent and impressively marked 28 out of 35 points on it. He brushed off two out of five
breakpoints he came across and capitalised on four out of nine break chances to advance.
Up next for Ram is the Chilean star, Paul Capdeville, who trashed Russia’s Igor Kunitsyn in straight sets to set up this battle. Capdeville was broken twice but cashed in half of the six break opportunities to register a 6-4, 7-6(5) success.
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