The Off Season 2014 - #3

After much consideration Greg decided to withdraw from the Australian Open Wild Card Play-off due to the continuing problem he has been having with his back after extended periods of play. He would not be able to last through a best of five set match at this time,, never mind four matches in a week, and would be in danger of doing more harm to his back. He has arranged to get the help of a specialist back physiotherapist, commencing this week and will be working hard thereafter to get his back right and his fitness level to the requisite level to hopefully recommence competitive tennis in January 2015.
But before this week began he had some other tennis commitments to fulfil. Greg had agreed to play for the Kooyong Classic team in the final game of their conference rounds. The Classics were in with a good chance of making the South East Conference final if they performed well in this final round. Headed up by Greg's good mate Dave Bidmeade and backed up by AndrewWhittington, Daniel Byrnes and doubles ace John Peers, with young Marc Polmans also on the team list but busy with the 18&U National tournament, it was a tough task as they were up against the leaders of the conference, the star-studded team of the Royal South Yarras. The Yarras line up far outranked Greg's team, with Luke Saville at 158 in the ATP, Alex Bolt closing in on a top 200 ranking and Dane Propoggia and Adam Hubble both ranked in singles and even better in doubles.

Greg up against Luke

It was a close affair on Friday night but the Kooyong team did just enough to make the finals, even though they lost narrowly to Saville's Yarras team on a count back, by a mere 3 games 46-43, after games and sets were shared 3-8 each. Greg played against Luke Saville, and after a slow start on the unfamiliar en-to-cout surface, losing the first set 0-4, he bounced back to take the second set 4-1, but Saville was not to be denied and won the match by taking the final set 4-1. Greg then combined with John Peers to topple Saville and Bolt 4-3, 4-2. Whittington and Bidmeade both recorded wins but Peers lost in 3 sets to Propoggia.
Ironically both teams topped the SE Conference table and so were to face-off against each other just two days later, this time on Indoor Hard Court at Melbourne Park, to determine who would win the Conference and gain the right to play at Melbourne Park in the second week of the Australian Open against the other Conference winners.

Victorious Kooyong

Greg and Peers led off the final for the Classics, in two critical matches, both needing to improve on their Friday evening showing against the same players against whom they lost. And they came through well, Peers first finished with a straight set 4-2, 4-2 win over Dane Propoggia, whilst Greg did well to come from a set and a break down to tough out a 2-4, 4-3, 4-2 win over Luke Saville. With Whittington winning his match against Alex Bolt 4-2, 4-2 but Dan Byrnes going down to Adam Hubble in two tiebreak sets 4-3, 4-3, the Classics led 3-1 and only needed to win two sets in the doubles to win the final.

Post win celebrations at Kooyong

Teamed together again in the doubles, John and Greg dropped the first set against Saville and Bolt, but on the other court Byrnes and Whittington snared the first set to settle the nerves. Greg and John responed and won the second set, and the final was decided. In the end the Classics lost both the doubles matches in the deciding tie-break set but the Final has been won, the Classics causing an upset winning by virtue of winning more set, final score 3 matches all, 8 set to 7.
Greg and the Kooyong team were delighted and will be preparing hard to be in good shape to play the ATL Finals at Melbourne Park in the last week of January.