Grass Season - Manta on Hard #6

Facing Greg in the final of the Manta Challenger was the No.1 seed, 35 year-old Michael Russell from the USA, currently ranked 95, with a high rank of 60. A fifteen year veteran of the Pro-circuit, diminutive Russell makes up for his lack of stature and big serve with accurate, never miss consistency and tremendous court coverage, with superb fitness. A winner of 12 titles on the Challenger circuit, the experienced Russell will be tough nut to crack in the twilight of his career.

In front of a large festive Saturday night crowd on a warm evening Russell served first and, after holding serve, he took advantage of a nervous game from Greg to break, and then take the score to 3-0, then 4-1. Greg started to lose his stiffness and nerves and started serving better, holding for 4-2 then getting Russell  to deuce, bringing up break-point and converting to get back on serve at 4-3. He reeled off his next service game to love then set about breaking Russell again to go to 5-3 up. He stepped up and served out the set, having won 5 games in a row to recover from 1-4 down to win the first set 6-4.

Greg in action

Then the wheels literally fell off for Greg. Three unforced errors gifted Russell  the first game, then a bad service game and more unforced errors and a double fault saw Russell break Greg to lead 2-0. Greg forced Russell  to save a break point in the next game but could not prevent Russell holding serve to lead 3-0, then break Greg again, with Greg serving at below 50%, to lead 4-0, then 5-0. Russell then broke Greg again to deliver a 6-0 bagel to win the second set, and level the match at 1 set all. A poor set by Greg and time for him to re-focus.

The festive local crowd at the centre

A toilet break and change of his sweaty clothes gave him time to regather and he came out firing again in the third set, holding his serve to love to get to 1-1. He then forced Russell  to 0-40 to give himself three break points. Unfortunately Russell responded with some good serving and plays, saving those points, winning 5 points in a row to hold serve for 2-1. He then had to save a breakpoint on his own swrve to get to 2-2, games then going with some top quality tennis to 5-4, Russell leading. In a marathon 10th game of the set, Russell brought up match point twice on Greg's serve and each time Greg fought back and denied Russell, eventually winning the game after six deuces to level at 5-5. Then it was Greg's turn to have break points to go ahead, but with Greg having played a great point and hit a cross court forward and followed the ball in after what looked like a winner, Russell got across out wide and at full stretch hit a running forehand passing shot which curled past a lunging Greg and was never in until it hit the court in the corner, to deny Greg the break - a virtual match winner. Russell then held serve to got 6-5 up.

Champion Michael Russell with the spoils

Then, despite Greg serving well, Russell  returned equally as well to get Greg to 15-40 and bring up consecutive match points and converted the first opportunity to win the set 7-5 and a well contested match 4-6, 6-0, 7-5.

Greg was obviously disappointed. He had outplayed Russell a the end of the first set, then did not go on with the job as he lost concentration and intensity in the second set. He was able to recoup and more than matched Russell in the 3rd set but some fantastic shot-making by the veteran, with a modicum of luck, at the business end of the match saw the pendulum swing Russell's way, to get the win and deny Greg his first Challenger title.

Nevertheless, it was a good week for Jonesie, who was unseeded in the draw and had played well enough through the week to reach the final, gaining a crucial 48 points, which will see him back under 300, around 250, in the ATP ranking and give him a shot at getting into qualifying for the US Open.