In the first round of the singles in the Manta Challenger in Ecuador, with the cut for the entry at a low 414, Greg did not get the best of draws, up against the No. 5 seed 31 year-old Brazilian Thiago Alves, currently ranked 202, with a high ranking of 88 in July 2009. Ostensibly a clay court player, five foot ten Alves is most probably the best of the seeds for Greg to play, and will be an opportunity for Greg to knock off.
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| View from Greg's Hotel |
Serving first Greg held easily and then at 2-1 up brought up break points three times before converting to lead 3-1, consolidating to go 4-1 up. Thiago wasnot done and hit back, holding serve and then breaking Greg to love in the seventh game to get back on serve at 3-4. Greg reponded and immediately had Thiago facing break-points at 15-40. Greg converted to lead 5-3 and then served out the set 6-3.
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| Greg playing at Manta |
Greg was straight into Alves' serve in the second set, forcing him to face break points at 15-40 in the first service game. Alves was up to the task winning the next four points to deny Greg and hold serve, games going with serve to 2-2, despite Greg serving at below 50%. Greg then upped the ante, returning well and serving well, breaking Alvesto lead 3-2, then 4-2. He repeated the dose to again break Alves to go to 5-2, winning five games in a row to win the set 6-2, and the match 6-3, 6-2.
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| Brazilian Thiago Alves |
A competent display by Greg, whose serve stats were ok and his return game was good, to advance to the second round.
The web-site, translated from Spanish, had this to say about the game, "The surprise of the day was the Australian Greg Jones (314 ATP) who managed it to overcome in two sets 6-3, 6-2 Brazil's Thiago Alves (202), fifth seed. Alves,the winner of this tournament in 2005 and 2006, now falls in the initial round. Jones based his game on serve and volley, trying to keep at the back of the Court his rival and take his first service, reaching 8 aces and 3 double faults."
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