Last year Sam Querrey was a two-time ATP finalist. The former World No.17 had not won a tournament since the 2012 event in Los Angeles. Querrey set that record straight with victory over Rajeev Ram in the Delray Beach final, winning 6-4, 7-6.
Ram had started the better of the two players, breaking first when Querrey had struggled in making first serves. Querrey would break straight back however, hold and the break again as Ram attempted to stay in the set. Ram could consider himself unlucky, as statistics suggested that he had played a stronger first set, winning more points on second serve, and putting more first serves in play than Querrey, but failed to win the big points.
The pair again traded early breaks in the second, before the serving settled down. Querrey faced some trouble at five-all, with Ram earning thirty-all, but the 6’6 American got out of trouble. Ram was playing the better tennis at this point though and, after a quick service hold, he opened up five-two lead in the tiebreak, and the championship decider seemed destined for a final set. Cue Querrey rediscovering some form. Five-two down, he won six of the next seven points to even the tiebreak, take the lead, and finally win the match after winning against the Ram serve at seven-six.
Depending on other movement in the rankings this week, Querrey has a very real chance of rejoining the Top 40, or at least get very close to it. Ram will likely move to a career-high ranking somewhere around No. 70.
The win also allows Querrey to gain a measure of revenge for defeat in the Newport Hall of Fame Championships final seven years ago, as Ram had come from set down to snatch the title that day. It is Querrey’s eighth career title from fifteen finals. Both men will play in Acapulco next week, with Querrey set to face Dudi Sela while Ram will battle fifth seed Bernard Tomic, whom he beat in the first round of Delray Beach.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hxkLZZoPUyo
