Australasian Spring - Kuala Lumpur #1

 

From Kaohsiung, Taiwan Greg was off to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia to play in the qualifying rounds of the 250 ATP tournament to be held there next week. He had agonised of whether to go there or to Bangkok and decided that KL was the better option.

He made the cut for the draw and received a good first round draw, up against 23 year Kevin Kung from Hong Kong. King, an ex-USA collegiate player and graduate works in a full-time job as a trader at an investment bank and only plays tennis part-time, but did represent Hong Kong in the Davis Cup in April 2012 and is currently ranked at 1473 in the ATP. 

Leftie Kevin Kung

Serving first Greg easily held serve, then pounced on Kung's serve, breaking Kung, then held again to lead 3-0. He repeated the dose to lead 5-0. Kung, desperate for a game brought up a game point, but Greg hit back, bringing up set point and converted to win the first set 6-0, and the right to serve first in the 2nd set. 

Greg in Kuala Lumpur

Greg won the first game of the second set and then pressurised Kung again but this time Kung held his nerve and his serve, saving breakpoints to win his first game. Greg held serve for 2-1, then broke Kung, and held serve again to lead 4-1. Well behind now, Kung started hitting out, getting to 40-15 but again Greg upped his game and in a long five deuce game he broke Kung for a second time in the set to lead 5-1. Kung was not done though, and with nothing to lose attacked and broke Greg, who had dropped his intensity to get to 5-2. Then in another marathon deuce game Kung held serve for a second time and narrowed the core to 3-5. Greg was now tightening up but he held his nerve enough to serve out the set 6-3 and win the match 6-0, 6-3

A competent performance from Greg in a match he was expected to win, in a kind draw. But was the draw kind? In his second round match he is up against the No.1 seed, who had a bye through the first round and will be fresh to play.