Rajeev Ram (USA) defeated #2 seed Ivo Karlovic (CRO), the hard serving 6’11” Croatian, to win the Hall of Fame Tennis Championships here on the grass courts at the International Hall of Fame in Newport, RI.
After Ram took the first set in a tiebreaker, Karlovic broke and served out the second before Ram ultimately prevailed in a dominant, concluding tiebreak 7-6 (5), 5-7, 7-6 (2) in Newport, Rhode Island.
Ram ended a three-year American title drought in Newport as he became the third American to win multiple titles at this ATP World Tour grass-court event (also John Isner 2011-12 and Bryan Shelton 1991-92).
The victory earned Ram, the 2009 Newport champion, $84,250 and moves his ranking from 161st in the world to 86th. He is now the 6th ranked American on tour and his ranking qualifies him for the U.S. Open next month in New York City.
