Oz Summer 2012-13 #16

Westlakes Tennis Club

The draw for the Challenger tournament in Westlakes had Greg up against the No.3 seed in the second round, 24 year-old Canadian, Peter Polansky, currently ranked 178, with a high ranking of 149.
First match on, on a hot sunny day, Greg started serving and held serve well. He was returning well too, and forced Ponsky to deuce on his first two serve and then at 3-2 he twice brought up break-point on Polansky's serve but Polansky held firm and denied Greg the break of serve. Then at 4-4, against the run of play Polansky converted the only break-point opportunity Greg faced, to lead 5-4. Polansky then confidently served out the set to love, 6-4.

Greg was annoyed at the lapse and fired up in the second set, holding serve to love and then breaking Polansky to love to lead 2-0 and then 3-0. He broke Polansky again and then held serve to take a strangehold on the set with a 5-0 lead. Polansky held, forcing Greg to serve for the set at 5-1, which he did, also confidently to love, winning the set 6-1 and levelling the match at one set all.
With Polansky, serving first and back in the groove, he held and then forced Greg to face a break-point whihc he managed to save to get tp 1-1. In the heat of midday, both player's conserved energy and concentrated on holding serve, the server dominating and games to 5-5 without much bother. Greg then forced Polansky to deuce but was not able to progress further and Polansky rallied to hold serve.

Canadian Peter Polansky

The tie-break ensued at 6-6, with Polansky and Greg holding to get to 1-2. Then Greg won both of Polansky's serves to lead 4-1 . Polansky hit back and broke Greg for 4-2, and then trailed 2-5. Polansky held his to serves to put the pressure back on Greg at 4-5. He broke Greg to level at 5-5 but Greg brought up match point, with Polansky serving at 5-6. Polansky held but Greg then broke him again to bring up match point, this time on his serve at 7-6. But Polansky rose to the challenge and broke Greg again
to level at 7-7. Greg served to get to 8-7, but on Polansky's serve. This time Greg managed to break, and won the tie-break 9-7, on his 3rd match point, winning 4-6, 6-1, 7-6.
Greg had rallied back admirably and forced the match to a 3rd set. He served well, at over 75% in the 3rd set and, having having been ahead in the tie-break, had not buckled when Polansky fought back, showing plenty of mental strength to win the tie-break and advance to the quarter finals.