Summer in the States 2012 #17

Another younger player confronted Greg in the second round of singles in Lexington, Kentucky, being the No.6 seed 21 year-old Argentinian Agustin Velotti. A talented player in the Juniors, who won the French Open Junior title, Vellotti is making his way up the senior rankings, just off his recent high ranking of 205, ranked at 214. On a hot and humid day with temperatures in the mid 30s, Greg had another difficult match on his hands.
Serving first Greg held serve and then, on the back of a string of second serves by Velotti, immediately had Velotti defending four separate break points in his first service game. Each time Velotti produced a first serve to save the break-point opportunity, denying Greg and eventually holding serve to level at 1-1. Greg maintained the intensity and brought up another break-point opportunity at 3-2, converting to take a 4-2 lead, then holding serve after a long service game to lead 5-2. Velotti held for 5-3, them applied the pressure on Greg who was serving for the set, forcing Greg to defend break-points at 15-40 and converting to break-back to 5-4. Greg was unfazed and took the game to Velotti, breaking him again to win the first set 6-4.

Centre Court at Lexington

Greg was immediately on the attack in the second set, eager to close out the match in the hot, humid conditions, holding serve and then forcing Velotti to again defend three break-points, this time breaking Velotti to go to a 2-0 lead. But Velotti had other ideas and hit back immediately to level the scores at 2-2. Games then went with serve, both players battling on their service games, to 5-4 Greg leading. With Velotti serving to stay in the set and the match, Greg forced him to 30-40 and match point. Greg went for broke and went for the winner but hit a clean shot just a foot long. Velotti saved and the opportunity was gone, Velotti holding serve for 5-5. Then Greg was forced to save a break-point, which he did, holding for 6-5, games going to the tie-break at 6-6.

Argentinian Austin Velotti

In the tie-break, it was Velotti who got the first mini-break to lead 3-2, then hold serve to go to 5-2 up. Greg held serve to get back to 4-5, then Velotti brought up set point at 6-4. Greg hit back and broke to get to 5-6, still set point to Velotti but on Greg's serve. Velotti was not to be denied, playing the better tie-break to win that point and the tie-break 7-5, to win the set 7-6 and level the match at 1 set all.
Velotti was also now serving first in the 3rd set and held serve and then broke a struggling Greg to lead 2-0, then 3-0. Greg said his energy levels were low after the efforts of the first two sets and he felt extremely fatigued in the extreme hot conditions. But he managed to rally and, with new balls, held serve for 1-3. But he was unable to make any inroads into Velotti's serve, games going with serve to 5-2. Velotti then forced Greg to 15-40, bringing up two match points, converting to win the set 6-2 and a closely contested match 4-6, 7-6, 6-2.
Greg was devastated with the loss, seeing that he had the better of the play for two sets, having 11 break point opportunities against Velotti, including a match point, against the 3 break points which he had to defend, but just did not have the luck on the day. Velotti was able to raise his game on those big points and took the few opportunities that came his way. Greg knew he had to win in straight sets due to the hot conditions but was not able to on the day.