By Alberto Amalfi | Wednesday, July 15, 2015
Rajeev Ram followed up his upset of top-seeded John Isner by sweeping Yuichi Sugita, 6-4, 6-3, to advance to the Newport quarterfinals.
Photo credit: International Tennis Hall of Fame
Rajeev Ram has returned to familiar grass-court stomping grounds in Newport—and is enjoying the experience.
A day after Ram toppled top-seeded John Isner, he went back to work dispatching Yuichi Sugita, 6-4, 6-3, to advance to the Hall of Fame Tennis Championships quarterfinals for the third time.
The 31-year-old Ram won 17 of 20 points played on his second serve and did not face a break point in the match.
Video: Haas Tours Hall of Fame
The 2009 Newport champion in singles and doubles will play the winner of today's all-French clash between Adrian Mannarino and Edouard Roger-Vasselin for a semifinal spot.
The fifth-seeded Mannarino is playing twice today. He completed the final set of his 6-7 (5), 7-6 (1), 6-4 victory over 37-year-old wild card Tommy Haas in a match that began Tuesday and was suspended after two sets due to darkness.
Australian John-Patrick Smith defeated Providence native Jared Donaldson, 6-3, 6-1.
Smith, who knocked out third-seeded compatriot Bernard Tomic in his opener, will take on Tatsuma Ito for a trip to the final four. Ito did not drop serve in a 6-4, 6-4 win over seventh-seeded Steve Johnson.