The quarter-finals of the Dallas Challenger saw Greg face up against 27 year-old American Alex Bogomolov, currently ranked 152, with a top100 high rank of 97.
Bogomolov served first but it was Greg who took the immediate advantage, breaking Bogomolov and holding serve to lead 2-0. Howeve on the back of some bad serving by Greg it was Bogomolov who won the next 5 games to lead 5-2. Greg started to get back on track and held his next service game but could not stop Bogomolov from serving out the set 6-3.
With Greg serving first in the second set games got to 1-1 before Bogomolov again broke Greg to go a break up and consolidate for a 3-1 lead. Greg slowly started getting into the game but was still struggling with his first serve percentage. Games went to 2-4 when Greg pressurised Bogomolov and brought up a couple of break-point opportunities. He managed to convert and was back in the match, serving a little better and holding serve to match Bogomolov and take the set to the tie-break at 6-6. In the tie-break it was Bogomolov who got the early break and then went ahead to 5-2, then 6-2 up with four match points. But Greg was not done yet. Four scintillating points later, with some dynamic winners Greg had saved those match points, winning 6 points in a row to come from the death and win the tie-break 8-6 and level the match at 1 set all. If only Greg could move and play like that every game.
Bogomolov unfortunately did not get too despondent in the third set, holding serve and then at 2-1 up breaking Greg to lead 3-1 and then 4-1. Greg served well to hold serve and games went tp 5-3 with Bogomolov serving for the match at 5-3 up. He got to 40-15 and again had 2 match points on his own serve. Greg again responded and saved the match points and, after multiple deuces, broke Bogomolov to get back on serve. Again Bogomolov did not drop his game, despite having 6 match points denied, and got Greg to 15-40, facing another two match points, He saved the 7th but a slighlty wide forehand saw Bogomolov finaly prevail, winning the exciting match 6-3, 6-7(6), 6-4 to progress to the semi-finals.
An up-and-down match for Greg, who dod not serve as well as he can but played quite well. He said the most positive aspect of the match was his body language and that he kept positive and kept fighting to the end.
All his matches were live-streamed on the Internet by Front Row Tennis, at http://www.frontrowtennis.com/, and can still be accessed and viewed by login on and signing in. It was a high quality feed with good commentary and inetrviews with the players. Good watching.
Bogomolov served first but it was Greg who took the immediate advantage, breaking Bogomolov and holding serve to lead 2-0. Howeve on the back of some bad serving by Greg it was Bogomolov who won the next 5 games to lead 5-2. Greg started to get back on track and held his next service game but could not stop Bogomolov from serving out the set 6-3.
With Greg serving first in the second set games got to 1-1 before Bogomolov again broke Greg to go a break up and consolidate for a 3-1 lead. Greg slowly started getting into the game but was still struggling with his first serve percentage. Games went to 2-4 when Greg pressurised Bogomolov and brought up a couple of break-point opportunities. He managed to convert and was back in the match, serving a little better and holding serve to match Bogomolov and take the set to the tie-break at 6-6. In the tie-break it was Bogomolov who got the early break and then went ahead to 5-2, then 6-2 up with four match points. But Greg was not done yet. Four scintillating points later, with some dynamic winners Greg had saved those match points, winning 6 points in a row to come from the death and win the tie-break 8-6 and level the match at 1 set all. If only Greg could move and play like that every game.
Bogomolov unfortunately did not get too despondent in the third set, holding serve and then at 2-1 up breaking Greg to lead 3-1 and then 4-1. Greg served well to hold serve and games went tp 5-3 with Bogomolov serving for the match at 5-3 up. He got to 40-15 and again had 2 match points on his own serve. Greg again responded and saved the match points and, after multiple deuces, broke Bogomolov to get back on serve. Again Bogomolov did not drop his game, despite having 6 match points denied, and got Greg to 15-40, facing another two match points, He saved the 7th but a slighlty wide forehand saw Bogomolov finaly prevail, winning the exciting match 6-3, 6-7(6), 6-4 to progress to the semi-finals.
An up-and-down match for Greg, who dod not serve as well as he can but played quite well. He said the most positive aspect of the match was his body language and that he kept positive and kept fighting to the end.
All his matches were live-streamed on the Internet by Front Row Tennis, at http://www.frontrowtennis.com/, and can still be accessed and viewed by login on and signing in. It was a high quality feed with good commentary and inetrviews with the players. Good watching.
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