The quarter-final round of the Toowoomba Futures
tournament had Greg facing a tough challenge in the form of No. 1 seed, 20
year-old Aussie Luke Saville, a double Junior Grand Slam title winner, who has
struggled a bit to convert his talent to the Men's circuit but has made good
progress in a break-out year, with a current singles ranking of 171. He has had
a short break recently due to injury and this tournament is his first since the
break. In their only previous encounter Greg won in straight sets against a
teenage Saville.
Greg was immediately under pressure in the first service game facing a break point at 30-40 but held his nerve, and held serve. He then turned the pressure on Saville, forcing him to 0-40 and converting to lead 2-0. Greg was now firing on all cylinders and broke Saville twice more in the set, to deliver a bagel 6-0 scoreline for the first set.
Saville to his credit did not go away, and matched Greg in the second set, games going to 2-2. Then in a long deuce game Greg saved two break points to go 3-2 up. A quick service game saw Greg again under the pump and this time Saville broke Greg to lead 4-3. Greg fought back but Saville held firm, serving out the set 6-4.
Greg came out firing in the 3rd set, holding serve and then breaking Saville before holding serve to take a 3-0 lead. In the next game he forced Saville to 0-40 but Saville responded and Greg had no luck as Saville saved four break points to get on the board at 3-1. Perhaps a turning point in match as had Greg broken he would have led. 4-0.
To his credit Saville continued to fight and at 2-4 down he again had Greg facing break points and on the third opportunity broke Greg to get back in the match, serving to level the score at 4-4. Greg responded holding serve to go 5-4 up. In another epic long deuce game Greg brought up three match-point opportunities but luck was not on his side and Saville was able to save those point and level at 5-5. Greg held for a 6-5 lead and again had a match-point but again Saville denied him, saving to level at 6-6 and take the 3rd set into a tie-break.
Serving first, Greg got off to a great start, breaking Saville twice to lead 3-0, only to drop his two serves and change sides at 3-3. Saville went 4-3. Greg held for 4-4, then Greg was broken, Saville leading 5-4 and serving for the match, which he did to win a pulsating match 76(4) in the third set.
Greg was naturally disappointed. Lady Luck was not on his side on four break-points at 3-0 up in the last set and on each of the four match points he had. Saville fought back well and stayed in the match, riding his luck to slowly peg Greg back and squeeze out a win.
Greg was immediately under pressure in the first service game facing a break point at 30-40 but held his nerve, and held serve. He then turned the pressure on Saville, forcing him to 0-40 and converting to lead 2-0. Greg was now firing on all cylinders and broke Saville twice more in the set, to deliver a bagel 6-0 scoreline for the first set.
Saville to his credit did not go away, and matched Greg in the second set, games going to 2-2. Then in a long deuce game Greg saved two break points to go 3-2 up. A quick service game saw Greg again under the pump and this time Saville broke Greg to lead 4-3. Greg fought back but Saville held firm, serving out the set 6-4.
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| Luke Saville |
Greg came out firing in the 3rd set, holding serve and then breaking Saville before holding serve to take a 3-0 lead. In the next game he forced Saville to 0-40 but Saville responded and Greg had no luck as Saville saved four break points to get on the board at 3-1. Perhaps a turning point in match as had Greg broken he would have led. 4-0.
To his credit Saville continued to fight and at 2-4 down he again had Greg facing break points and on the third opportunity broke Greg to get back in the match, serving to level the score at 4-4. Greg responded holding serve to go 5-4 up. In another epic long deuce game Greg brought up three match-point opportunities but luck was not on his side and Saville was able to save those point and level at 5-5. Greg held for a 6-5 lead and again had a match-point but again Saville denied him, saving to level at 6-6 and take the 3rd set into a tie-break.
Serving first, Greg got off to a great start, breaking Saville twice to lead 3-0, only to drop his two serves and change sides at 3-3. Saville went 4-3. Greg held for 4-4, then Greg was broken, Saville leading 5-4 and serving for the match, which he did to win a pulsating match 76(4) in the third set.
Greg was naturally disappointed. Lady Luck was not on his side on four break-points at 3-0 up in the last set and on each of the four match points he had. Saville fought back well and stayed in the match, riding his luck to slowly peg Greg back and squeeze out a win.
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