2015 ATP Newport

Serve and Volley Specialist Rajeev Ram Serves Up Second ATP Newport Title
Steen Kirby, Tennis Atlantic

Rajeev Ram

After an exciting week of wacky results in Newport the serve and volley specialist Rajeev Ram prevailed in the final over the veteran Ivo Karlovic, who brought his own massive serve to the match. Ram, who boosted himself into the top 90 with the title victory, is the lowest ranked ATP World Tour champion this year after his 7-6(5) 5-7 7-6(2) win. Ram had to save three match points this week but Karlovic couldn’t generate any of those today. He narrowly lost the first set tiebreak, got a break in the second set, but played a poor third set tiebreak that doomed him to defeat.

Just like last year, Karlovic finishes as a finalist in Newport, while Ram took his second title in Rhode Island. He’s primarily a serve and volley doubles specialist, and a challenger tour level player, but he brought his ATP game to play this week, and much credit to the veteran Indian-American.

In the doubles final Aisam-Ul-Haq Qureshi and Johnny Marray slipped past Nick Monroe/Mate Pavic 10-8 in a third set super tiebreak.

Steen Kirby (Marseille)

2015 ATP Draw Challenge Week 26 (Newport)
Staff, Tennis Atlantic

The final grass court tournament of 2015 on the ATP world tour will take place in Newport, Rhode Island at the Tennis Hall of Fame, and it’s a 250 level tournament.

Newport

2015 Hall of Fame Tennis Championships Predictions

Steen Kirby’s picks

Round 2 matches: Isner vs. Sugita, Roger-Vasselin vs. Mannarino, Tomic vs. Donaldson, Ito vs. Johnson, Hernych vs. Falla, Lacko vs. Sock, Querrey vs. Brown, Jaziri vs. Karlovic
Quarterfinals: Isner vs. Mannarino, Tomic vs. Johnson, Falla vs. Sock, Brown vs. Karlovic
Semifinals: Isner vs. Tomic, Sock vs. Brown
Final: Isner vs. Brown
Champion: Isner

Niall Clarke’s picks

Round 2 matches: Isner vs. Harrison, Roger-Vasselin vs. Mannarino, Tomic vs. Donaldson, Rubin vs. Johnson, Smyczek vs. Falla, Lacko vs. Sock, Querrey vs. Brown, Jaziri vs. Karlovic
Quarterfinals: Isner vs. Mannarino, Tomic vs. Johnson, Falla vs. Sock, Querrey vs. Karlovic
Semifinals: Isner vs. Tomic, Falla vs. Querrey
Final: Isner vs. Querrey
Champion: Querrey

Joe Craven’s picks

Round 2 matches: Isner vs. Harrison, Roger-Vasselin vs. Haas, Tomic vs. Donaldson, Rubin vs. Johnson, Smyczek vs. Falla, Lacko vs. Sock, Querrey vs. Brown, Jaziri vs. Karlovic
Quarterfinals: Isner vs. Haas, Tomic vs. Johnson, Falla vs. Sock, Brown vs. Karlovic
Semifinals: Isner vs. Tomic, Sock vs. Karlovic
Final: Isner vs. Karlovic
Champion: Karlovic

Chris de Waard’s picks

Round 2 matches: Isner vs. Sugita, Roger-Vasselin vs. Mannarino, Tomic vs. Donaldson, Ito vs. Johnson, Smyczek vs. Falla, Lacko vs. Sock, Querrey vs. Brown, Jaziri vs. Karlovic
Quarterfinals: Isner vs. Mannarino, Tomic vs. Johnson, Falla vs. Sock, Querrey vs. Karlovic
Semifinals: Isner vs. Tomic, Sock vs. Querrey
Final: Tomic vs. Querrey
Champion: Tomic

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Everyone in the competition this week has picked a different champion, and one of those players, Bernard Tomic, has already been eliminated from the tournament. Quite simply, anything could happen in Newport.

Week 25 standings

Wimbledon
1: Joe (566 points) (+2000 overall)
2: Jeff (506 points) (+1200 overall)
3: Steen (504 points) (+720 overall)
4: Chris (488 points) (+720 overall)
5: Niall (486 points) (+360 overall)

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Overall standings (after week 25)

1: Steen: 11,800 ranking points (+720 points overall)
2: Niall: 10,660 points (+360 points overall)
3: Joe 10,240 points (+2000 points overall)
4: Jeff: 8,590 points (+1200 points overall)
5: Chris: 8,505 points (+720 points overall)

Chris and Jeff traded spots as the rankings tightened somewhat due to Joe’s grand slam victory. It now appears to be a three horse race as Steen added to his lead on Niall just a bit, but he maintains his second place position.

ATP Draw Challenge (London Queens)