Ram backs up first title with opening win

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INDIANAPOLIS, Jul 20 (AFP): Local tennis hero Rajeev Ram backed up the career-first title he won a week ago at Newport with a 6-3, 7-5 first-round victory Sunday over fellow wild card Devin Britton at the Indianapolis Championships.
Ram, now knocking on the door of the Top 100 in the men's tennis rankings at 108th, claimed the Newport crown in a shock ending to an event where he only entered the main draw after Mardy Fish withdrew to make an emergency appearance for the US Davis Cup team in Croatia.
The persistent 25-year-old from nearby Carmel, Indiana, began well at his home event, which he has played on six previous occasions, never moving past the third round (2005).