The second round of qualifying in An-ning was also the final round of qualifying, due to the small entry list. Greg's opponent was the No. 3 seed, 22 year-old Canadian Filip Peliwo, who had helped Greg with some medicine in Nanjing when Greg took ill last week. Currently ranked 433, with a high ranking of 223, Peliwo will be a much sterner test for Greg than the first round of qualifying.
Serving first Greg started well, holding to love, but struggled in his second service game, going to deuce twice before holding serve to get to 2-1. He then broke Peliwo to get to 3-1, then 4-1 up. Games then went with serve, with Greg serving well to serve out the first set 6-3.
Peliwo was not done and came straight back, playing at a higher intensity. He held serve then forced Greg to face two break points at 15-40. Greg managed to get to deuce, then won the game to level at 1-1. Peliwo held to love, then again had Greg facing two break points. Greg again saved to get to 2-2. He then took Peliwo to 15-40 and broke his serve on the first opportunity to lead 3-2. Peliwo was not deterred and in the third service game in a row had Greg facing break points, this time at 0-40. He had not served well in this game, only landing one first serve to get to 15-40, but a double fault saw him give up his break advantage, for Peliwo to level at 3-3, then get to 4-3. It was then Peliwos turn to face two break point opportunites on his serve at 4-4. A break would have seen Greg serving for the match, but it was not to be. Peliwo saved to get to 5-4. Greg held to love for 5-5, then both held to go to the tie-break at 6-6.
In the tiebreak it was Peliwo who got the decisive break to change ends at 4-2 up. Greg held for 3-4 but Peliwo was not to be denied from tying up the match at a set all, winning both his serves to have three set points at 6-3, then breaking Greg again to win the tie-break 7-3, and the set 7-6. One set all.
After a short comfort break, Greg was back into the fray, serving first, and serving well, saving a break point against him to get to 2-1 up. He then broke Peliwo to take the advantage at 3-1, holding off a desperate Peliwo to go to 4-1 up. Peliwo held for 4-2, then had Greg at deuce but could not bring up any break point opportunities, Greg holding on to lead 5-2. He would have loved a break, to avoid having to serve for the match, the hardest game in any match, but Peliwo held for 5-3. Greg stepped up and brought up match point at 40-15, Peliwo saved one point but a relieved Greg served out the game, to win the set 6-3, and a hard fought match 6-3, 6-7(3), 6-3.
It was a bittersweet win for Greg, as Peliwo had helped him when he was ill in Nanjing, they were sharing a room in the resort, and they had also just gained entry into the doubles playing together for the first time. Ce le vie.
Greg was pleased with the fighting win, saying it was his best close fought result in two years and attributed the win to the hard work he had put into his fitness and hitting in the weeks that he had been in Asia. He said that physically he had come through the match well, even though playing at altitude and on clay was tough on both the lungs and the legs.
So into the singles and the doubles main draw for Greg.
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| The clay courts at An-ning |
Peliwo was not done and came straight back, playing at a higher intensity. He held serve then forced Greg to face two break points at 15-40. Greg managed to get to deuce, then won the game to level at 1-1. Peliwo held to love, then again had Greg facing two break points. Greg again saved to get to 2-2. He then took Peliwo to 15-40 and broke his serve on the first opportunity to lead 3-2. Peliwo was not deterred and in the third service game in a row had Greg facing break points, this time at 0-40. He had not served well in this game, only landing one first serve to get to 15-40, but a double fault saw him give up his break advantage, for Peliwo to level at 3-3, then get to 4-3. It was then Peliwos turn to face two break point opportunites on his serve at 4-4. A break would have seen Greg serving for the match, but it was not to be. Peliwo saved to get to 5-4. Greg held to love for 5-5, then both held to go to the tie-break at 6-6.
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| Canadian Filip Peliwo |
After a short comfort break, Greg was back into the fray, serving first, and serving well, saving a break point against him to get to 2-1 up. He then broke Peliwo to take the advantage at 3-1, holding off a desperate Peliwo to go to 4-1 up. Peliwo held for 4-2, then had Greg at deuce but could not bring up any break point opportunities, Greg holding on to lead 5-2. He would have loved a break, to avoid having to serve for the match, the hardest game in any match, but Peliwo held for 5-3. Greg stepped up and brought up match point at 40-15, Peliwo saved one point but a relieved Greg served out the game, to win the set 6-3, and a hard fought match 6-3, 6-7(3), 6-3.
It was a bittersweet win for Greg, as Peliwo had helped him when he was ill in Nanjing, they were sharing a room in the resort, and they had also just gained entry into the doubles playing together for the first time. Ce le vie.
Greg was pleased with the fighting win, saying it was his best close fought result in two years and attributed the win to the hard work he had put into his fitness and hitting in the weeks that he had been in Asia. He said that physically he had come through the match well, even though playing at altitude and on clay was tough on both the lungs and the legs.
So into the singles and the doubles main draw for Greg.
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