Dan Evans through to the second round of the US Open

Evans has only once before gone past the first round at Flushing Meadows but he was a convincing winner on Court Four, beating Ram 6-2 4-6 7-5 6-1.

The 26-year-old joins compatriots Kyle Edmund and Johanna Konta in round two, where he will face either Germany's Daniel Brands or the talented Alexander Zverev.

Evans has enjoyed a breakthrough year, climbing into the top 100 for the first time in May before reaching the third round at Wimbledon, where he lost to Roger Federer.

Now at 64th in the rankings, he is looking to extend his upward curve in New York, having made an impressive run to the third round here in 2013.

Ram, placed 105th in the world, has never been that far at a major tournament but is an awkward and daring opponent, as evidenced by surprise wins over Bernard Tomic and Kevin Anderson earlier this year.

He also reached the Olympic final of the mixed doubles with Venus Williams two weeks ago, and the 32-year-old's touch and varied style did pose the occasional problem.

Evans, however, was too consistent from the baseline and this display will have done no harm to his case for Davis Cup semi-final selection, as he vies with Kyle Edmund for the second singles spot against Argentina next month.

Edmund recorded a superb win over France's Richard Gasquet on Monday.

Kitted out in the same luminous yellow outfit as Edmund had worn 24 hours earlier, Evans broke three times to win the opening set, which was sealed with a Ram double fault.

Another early break in the second looked to have put the Briton in command but Ram broke once, via a cruel net chord, and then again at 4-4 to draw one-set all.

Evans' frustration mounted in the heat and for a while he seemed particularly irritated by a tournament cleaner repeatedly walking along the path next to the court.

The third set was the tightest, Evans breaking only at 6-5 when a sumptuous backhand lob left Ram no time to respond, but the fourth was far more straightforward.

Evans stormed into a 5-0 lead and while Ram did finally get on the scoreboard, an ace sealed the convincing victory in two hours and 31 minutes.