NEWPORT, R.I. — Former Illini Rajeev Ram knew it was the shot of the match.
Ram won the Hall of Fame Tennis Championships for the second time Sunday, beating second-seeded Ivo Karlovic 7-6 (5), 5-7, 7-6 (2).
With the score tied 1-all in the third-set tiebreaker, Ram lunged from his right to his left, barely getting a backhand return on a 136 mph serve before the ball sailed just inside the sideline.
“I don’t know if I was surprised I got it,” Ram said. “I was surprised I got it by him, that I hit it that cleanly to get it by him.