American Summer 2013 - Vancouver #4

Centre Court in Vancouver

Greg's quarter-final match was delayed due to persistent drizzly rain on Friday and so was postponed to be played on Saturday morning. This meant that the winner of that match would have to play his semi-final that day, but it was the same for all the quarter-finalists, so no-one got an advantage. Greg did benefit though, as he had not made the cut for the next tournament in Aptos and was required to play qualifying on the Saturday. As he was still in the singles in Vancouver he received a special exemption into the main draw of the Aptos tournament, thus avoiding having to play in qualifying, so a bit of luck came his way.

Greg breaks back to level at 3-3

His opponent for the QF round was the No.2 seed, 23 year-old Canadian rising star Vasek Pospisil, ranked 89 with a high ranking of 85 last July 2012. A formidable challenge for Greg.

Screen shot of Vasek Pospisil

Greg did not start well, dropping his serve in the first game but fought back, both player's struggling to find first serves, breaking back to level the first set at 3-3. Greg held serve to lead 4-3 and then pressured Pospisil to two deuces but could not get a break point, games going to 5-5. Then, in a poor service game by Greg, Pospisil got Greg to 15-40 and converted to take the advantage in the set at 6-5. Pospisil served two aces in winning the game to love and closing out the set 7-5. 

Screen shot of Greg serving

Greg again dropped serve in the first game of the second set, still struggling to serve first serves. Pospisil consolidated to lead 2-0, then 2-1 after Greg held serve. Then in a marathon 12 point game Greg forced Pospisil to save two break-point and have 5 deuces before he managed to hold serve, denying Greg the opportunity to break back and extend his lead to 3-1. Greg was serving much better and games went with serve to 5-4, with Pospisil to serve for the set, and Greg's last chance to break serve. But Pospisil was up to the task serving out the final game to love, to win the match 7-5, 6-4.
Greg was disappointed with how he had struggled to land his first serves but felt he was more than Pospisil's equal when the ball was in play. Pospisil had served well on the critical points, producing first serves and aces when required and served 12 aces to Greg's 4 aces. Greg had also come to the net well and won a lot of points by doing so, which bodes well for the future. He had defended the points he had so will not drop in the rankings.
Next stop Aptos, California.
Vasek Pospisil went on to win the tournament, then followed that up by beating John Isner in the Montreal Masters a few days Peter