USA in the Autumn 2016 - Tiburon #2

The second round of qualifying for the Tiburon Challenger saw Greg facing another tough match, this time against his house mate and good friend, 26 year-old Dennis Nevolo from the USA. Having knocked off the No. 4 seed in the first round, Greg would have been hoping for less of a challenge in the second round but Nevolo, ranked 485 this week, will be approaching the match as a good opportunity with the seed removed. He will fight just as hard as Greg to progress to the final round of qualifying and be hoping that Greg's long three set match, after a three week or longer lay-off, will slow him down just enough.

Serving first Greg did not get off to a good start, saving two break points before dropping his first service game, handing the advantage to Nevolo. Greg now had to play catch up. Nevolo was returning well and Greg again had to save break point to get to 1-2, then 1-3. He rallied and held serve for 2-3, then proceeded to reel in Nevolo, forcing him to break point and converting to level at 3-3. Then in a long game Greg saved another two break points to go a 4-3. Nevolo quickly held to love, to level at 4-4, and put the pressure straight back on Greg's serve. Again Nevolo got Greg to deuce, then break-point. Greg twice saved break points but could not save the third and Nevolo had the break, to lead 5-4 and serve for the set.

But Greg was not out yet, breaking Nevolo to again level the set, at 5-5, only for Nevolo to break again to serve for the match a second time at 6-5. Neither of them could hold serve! And Greg fought back and broke Nevolo once again to take the set to the tiebreak at 6-6.

Dennis Nevolo

Nevolo had been holding serve easier than Greg, serving only 23 points to Greg's 55 points up to the then, and this showed in the tie-break, Nevolo taking an early lead, breaking Greg and holding serve to go 3-0 up. He repeated the dose, breaking Greg twice more to go 5-0 up and then serving out the tie-break 7-0, dominating to win the first set 7-6.

The first set proved to be crucial. With that under his belt, and having forced Greg to serve double the amount than he had, Nevolo was able to attack a Greg's serve and broke him immediately to go out to a 3-0 lead, then forced Greg to 0-40. Greg saved two points but lost then next, Nevolo going a double break up, and taking a stranglehold on the match. Greg finally held serve but could not stop Nevolo from serving out the set 6-1 and winning the match 7-6(0), 6-1.

Greg had served well, with a high first serve percentage, but Nevolo had returned equally as well, and had restricted Greg to winning only 8 points on his second serve in the match, which made the difference. It will be a long week training and hitting for Greg, before the tournament next week.