Featured, Local News|July 16, 2009 2:17 pm

Carmel Resident Claims Final Wild Card Spot for Indianapolis Tennis Championships

Carmel resident Rajeev Ram today accepted the final wild card into the 2009 Indianapolis Tennis Championships presented by Lilly. Ram became the first lucky loser this season to win an ATP World Tour title when he defeated No. 3 seed Sam Querrey 6-7(3), 7-5, 6-3 in the final of the Campbell’s Hall of Fame Tennis Championships in Newport last week. He then capped his dream week when he clinched the doubles title alongside Australian Jordan Kerr.

“We are excited that we could offer a wild card to one of Indiana’s own,” said Indianapolis Tennis Championships Tournament Director Kevin Martin. “We have been watching Rajiv’s progress over the years and were thrilled for him when he won his first career singles title and second career doubles title in Newport last week.”

The 25-year-old Ram, who was ranked No. 181 on the ATP World Tour, was contesting his career-first ATP World Tour final and became the third first-time winner this season, joining Guillermo Garcia-Lopez in Kitzbuhel and Benjamin Becker in ‘s-Hertogenbosch. At No. 181 in the South African Airways 2009 ATP Rankings, Ram is the lowest-ranked player to win an ATP World Tour title this season. The title propelled him to a career-high of No. 108.

Ram played high school tennis at Carmel High School and was the 1999 IHSAA Boys Singles Champion. He attended the University of Illinois for one year and helped the Fighting Illini go undefeated (32-0) and win the 2003 NCAA team championship. He will be making his fourth career appearance and has a 4-4 life-time mark on the Indianapolis hardcourts.

Ram will join previously announced commitments Andy Roddick, Sam Querrey, Taylor Dent, Dmitry Tursunov, Marcos Baghdatis, and Arnaud Clement at this year’s Indianapolis Tennis Championships held July 18-26 at the Indianapolis Tennis Center on the campus of IUPUI. Tickets for the Championships can be purchased online at tennisindy.com or by calling 800-622-LOVE.

The Indianapolis Tennis Championships Presented by Lilly is a world-class ATP Tour event held annually in Indianapolis and is a part of the Olympus US Open Series. The event traces its roots back to 1921 and has hosted such notable players as Pete Sampras, Arthur Ashe, Jimmy Connors, and Andre Agassi. For more information, please visit www.tennisindy.com.

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