‘Sometimes it feels better to win when you don’t play your best, because you know you have another gear, ‘ Querrey said. Then the 28-year-old Californian sneaked a peak over at chair umpire Fergus Murphy and saw the official giving him a thumbs-up sign.
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Del Potro had been in good form, not dropping a set on the way to the final, as the Argentine wildcard defeated Denis Kudla, qualifier John Patrick Smith and fifth seed Jeremy Chardy on his way to the semi-final. The last time was 2013.
“I felt calm from the start because I had a game plan going in to make sure I was on the offensive”, said Ram, who – regardless of what happens in the final – will rise to a career-high ranking in the top 70.
Dimitrov did not have a single break point opportunity as Ram enjoyed a better winning percentage off his second serve than his first.
Meanwhile Ram, who had upset fourth seed Grigor Dimitrov in the last four, fell to his first defeat in three career main tour finals.
‘I just battled through and happened to hit one great shot in the second set, and it was on match point’.
Sam Querrey beat Rajeev Ram 6-4, 7-6 (8-6) on Sunday in an all-American final in the Delray Beach Open for his eighth ATP World Tour title and first since 2012.
Querrey won six of the last seven points in the tie-breaker, taking the match after 85 minutes with a running forehand victor that barely caught the backline and withstood a replay challenge. He lost to Berdych in the third round of the Australian Open in January and was forced to withdraw from Rotterdam last week with an elbow injury.
‘I had two finals previous year, both close losses, so it feels good to be in the winner’s circle’. But his fatigue after playing four matches – the same number he played in all of previous year – was evident.
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“I think I served really, really well again”. “I’m still working to get back to my top level, if I can”.
