USA Tour Autumn 2012 #2

After more rest and a few days hitting Greg decided to contest the Qualifying for the Indian Wells ATP 500 tournament. He was not lucky in the draw though, getting matched up against the No.2 seed in qualifying, 25 year-old German Tobias Kamke, currently ranked 88. Greg recently played against Kamke, going down in straight sets to the German in the final round of qualifying in Brisbane in early January. A tough match for his first encounter for three weeks.
Greg served first in the 1st set, in gusty wind conditions, and it was he who was playing better in the first set, creating a break point opportunity at 3-2. He was not able to convert and Kamke held serve, games going with serve to 5-4, Greg leading. Greg then pressurised Kamke and forced a break point opportunity to win the set. Kamke's nerve held but two more break-point opportunities saw Greg win the game, and the 1st set 6-4.
Greg could not maintain the intensity and Kamke came storming back, breaking Greg's serve at 1-1, then holding, before breaking again to take a decisive 4-1 lead. Greg was not able to make any in-roads into Kamke's serve in the 2nd set, and Kamke held again to go 5-1 up. Greg forced Kamke to serve out the set at 2-5, which he duly did, winning the set 6-2 and levelling the match at 4-4.

German Tobias Kamke

Both players were struggling to serve in the windy conditions and at 1-1 Kamke again forced Greg to save a break pint opportunity, then converted another opportunity to go a brrak-up at 2-1. Greg hit back in the bery next game, breaking Kamke to level at 2-2, then held serve, games going with serve to 4-4. It was the business end of the match and Greg felt the pressure of not having any matches under the belt for the past three weeks, fitness lacking as well. Kamke upped the ante and forced Greg to break-point, converting to go 5-4 up. Greg was unable to break Kamke as he served for the match and Kamke won the 3rd set 6-4 and a closely fought tussel 4-6, 6-2, 6-4.
Whilst bitterly disappointed with the loss, Greg can take a lot from the match. He had improved vastly on his last showing against Kamke, when not having played or trained properly for three weeks. Hopefully his leg held up well and he will recover quickly from the match.