Grass Season - Nottingham Challenger - #3

View of Nottingham

In the final round of qualifying for the Nottingham Challenger, the luck of the draw had Greg drawnto meet the No.1 seed Dustin Brown, but Brown had been soundly beaten 6-3, 6-1 in the second round by a better player on grass, 29 year-old Indian Prakash Amritraj. Son of the top Indian player Vijay, Prakash was a bit of a grass court specialist, having reached the final at Newport a few years prior, courtesy of a wild card due to his father having won the famous grass court tournament multiple times. Having had sporadic play due to a variety if injuries over the past few years Amritraj was now ranked 314, with a high rank of 159, so pretty similar to Greg. 

Nottingham Tennis Centre Courts

Greg served first and was quickly put under pressure by Amritraj, facing two break points in the first game. Greg rallied and saved those points, evebtually winning the game on the third deuce point. Amritraj held easily and then gamed then went with serve to 3-3, with Amritraj serving at 78% and having the better of the play. Then in the seventh game, the last with old balls, Amritraj got Greg to 0-40 and converted to break Greg and go ahead 4-3. Greg was immediately back into the set, breaking Amritraj immediately to level at 4-4. They then both held serves, with Amritraj still at a high percentage but Greg struggling at below 50% but still managing to get to the tie-break at 6-6.

In the tie-break both players hit only first serves but it was Amritraj who returned the better, allowing Greg to win only one point on his serve, and dropping his serve only once to win the tie-break 7-2 and snare the first set 7-6.

 In the second set games went with serve to 2-1, then Amritraj broke Greg to lead 3-1. Giving credence to the tennis axiom of "a break is not a break until you hold" Greg again hit back immediately, breaking Amritraj to level the scores at 3-2. Both players then held serve to love to get to 4-4, Amritraj still serving above 70% with at a more respectable 64%. Greg then upped the ante and, despite Amritraj's good serving, broke the Indian to lead 5-4. Greg then served out the set, converting his second set point opportunity to win the set 6-4 and level the match at a set a piece.

Prakash Amritraj

Greg continued to attack in the 3rd set, immediately bringing up a break point opportunity in the first game but Amritraj was up to the challenge and denied Greg the opportunity and held serve. Then, as happens in tennis, buoyed by the hold, Amritraj broke Greg in the next game to lead 2-1. Greg forced Amritraj to deuce but Amritraj held serve, then he again broke Greg despite Greg serving four first serves, to lead 4-0. Greg fought back and mirrored Amritraj, breaking him, also in a good service game, to get a break back at 4-1. But Amritraj was not about to let Greg back into the match, returning superbly to break Greg again to lead 5-1. Amritraj then served out the set 6-1, to win the match 7-6, 4-6, 6-1.

Disappointing for Greg who had played well this weekend. Greg said it was a bittersweet match as both players had played at a high level, points ending with winners rather than errors but Amritraj had served better and had returned unbelievably well, especially in the tie-break and third set when Greg served his best.

A promising weekend but the harsh reality is that, in an extremely competitive profession, after two wins and a good performance Greg had no points and no prize-money for his efforts.