Euro Summer 2010 Update #8

Second round of Wimbledon qualifying at Roehampton had Greg first match on against 27 year-old American Jesse Witten, currently near his high rank, at 170. A tough but winnable challenge for Greg, on a sunny but very breezy English summer day.

Serving first Greg again started slowly and Witten took full advantage breaking Greg first up and then holding to go 2-0 up. Greg held in another close service game to get on the board at 1-2, before Witten held, then again broke Greg's serve to go a double break up at 4-1. Greg had break-point opportunities to get a break back but was unable to convert and Witten served out the set, winning the 1st set 6-2.
Greg got into the groove in the 2nd set and started holding his serve a lot easier, but Witten stayed with him, games going to 3-2 Greg leading. Greg then created a break-point opportunity on Witten's serve but a good 1st serve by Witten denied Greg the break. Games then went with serve to 4-4, 5-5 and then to the tie-break at 6-6.
Greg was first to get a mini-break, leading 2-1, then serving to go 4-1 up. Witten held his serves for 3-4, then broke Greg to level at 4-4. Greg held for 5-4, then at 5-5 broke Witten to bring up set point on his own serve at 6-5 up. Back Witten hit a great return and won the point to deny Greg, 6-6. After a change of ends it was Witten who prevailed breaking Greg to go 7-6 up and then serve out the match.
Greg will be very disappointed after winning so well in the 1st round.
He will now enjoy Wimbledon and the sights of London before going to Rhodes for a well earned holiday, before returning to Australia to re-charge the batteries.

Euro Summer 2010 Update #7

Continuing his first round match in the Wimbledon qualifying, suspended by rain the previous day, Greg led the No.32 seed Mexican Santiago Gonzalez 6-0, 2-2. A new day, anything could happen.

Fortunately Greg continued in the same good form as the previous day and held his 1st serve well for a 3-2 lead. Gonzalez held and Greg again held well to lead 4-3. Gonzalez got to 30-0 on his next serve but Greg pegged him back and brought up break-point. Greg converted to lead 5-3 and serve for the match. Gonzalez was not going to go easily and managed to get Greg to 15-40. Greg saved the first point but Gonzalez broke on the next point and then held serve to level the score at 5-5.

Greg then resumed normal service and served a love game (needed that last service game!). Gonzalez held to level at 6-6 and take the match into the dreaded tie-break.

Serving first Greg held and managed to get an early "mini-break" off Gonzalez. Points were tight but Greg held to eventually get to 6-4 up, two match points to Greg, the first on Gonzalez serve. Gonzalez held to go to 5-6. Greg's serve held true and he won the tie-break 7-5 and the match 6-0, 7-6(5) to proceed to the second round of qualifying.
Greg is first match on tonight (11am British time) against American Jesse Witten. The match score can be followed via live-scoring on the Wimbledon web-site.

Euro Summer 2010 Update #6

Wimbledon qualifying is held at the Bank of England Sports Club in Roehampton, not quite the class and grass of Wimbledon, but that was where Greg faced the No.32 seed, 27 year-old Mexican Santiago Gonzalez, currently ranked near his high ranking at 156, against whom Greg lost in the Challenger in Mexico earlier this year.

Serving first Greg was slow out of the blocks going down 15-40. He managed to save the two break points and held serve to lead 1-0. He then brought up break-points on Gonzalez serve and converted to get a break and lead 2-0. Greg then held and broke Gonzalez again, then held to lead 5-0. A great start. Greg then pressurised Gonzalez and brought up set-point, converting again and taking the set 6-0. A rare bagel from Greg, but still only 1-0 up in sets.

Critically serving first in the 2nd set, Greg held serve and then again had a break-point on Gonzalez serve, but this time Gonzalez saved and held to go 1-1. Games went to 2-2 when the British skies opened up, play was suspended and light drizzle kept the players indoors for the rest of the day, matches to be resumed tomorrow. A nervous night for both players.

Euro Summer 2010 - Update #5

Greg's 2nd round match at Queen's in the qualifying was an imposing task, up against the very experienced 27 year-old Russian Dimitri Tursonov, who currently was having had a bad run of results in ATP tour matches and is currently ranked a relative low 143, having a high rank of 20 in 2006. Seeded No.4 Tursonov had the benefit of having a bye in the 1st round and thus was fresh for this match against Greg who had already played his 1st round match in the late morning.

Serving 1st Tursonov held serve and then immediately brought up a break point on Greg's serve. Greg saved and held serve and then surpised Tursonov by breaking his serve for a 2-1 lead. More break point opportunities were created in the ensuing games, but both players were unable to capitalise on those opportunities, games going with serve to 5-4, Greg up. Serving for the set Greg was up against a determined Tursonov, who got Greg to deuce and then brought up break point. Greg held but Tursonov again had break-point. Greg saved two further break points before Tursonov managed to break back for 5-5.

Tursonov held for a 6-5 lead but Greg was able to respond and served well to go to 6-6 games all. Greg got the 1st point, mini-break to him, but Tursonov broke back. Points see-sawed to 4-3 Tursonov's way. Tursonov then got another break and played his advantage to win the tie-break 7-4 and the 1st set 7-6.

Greg started the 2nd set confidently, holding serve and then again breaking Tursonov early in the set to take the advantage at 3-1 up. Despite a number of break point opportunities Greg was able to hold Tursonov at bay and go 5-2 up. Tursonov held serve and Greg then served for the set at 5-3 up. Tursonov again got Greg to deuce but, unlike the 1st set, this time was denied, with Greg winning the game and the set 6-3.

One set all.

Tursonov was on fire at the start of the 3rd set, holding serve to love and then breaking Greg's serve to go 2-0 up, before consolidating the break with another love service game. Greg was able to respond and stayed with Tursonov but was not able to make any in-roads to Tursonov's serve, who amazingly served at 100% for the his 1st four service games, going to 5-2 up. Greg had a good service game to force Tursonov to serve for the match at 5-3.  Tursonov got to 30-15, then Greg won the next 2 points bringing up a break-back opportunity, but he was not able to convert, Tursonov serving another good 1st serve then bringing up match point. Greg saved that point but could not deny Tursonov who won the set 6-3 and a very close match 7-5(4), 3-6, 6-3.

Greg will be disappointed with the result but delighted with his effort, pushing a top 20 player all the way, even having opportunities to win the match. He should take some confidence from the day's tennis

Euro Summer 2010 - Update #4

Greg's next assignment was the qualifying at Queens in London for the Aegon Championships, a traditional grass court warm-up event for Wimbledon.

Greg's first round opponent was 26 year-old American Ryler Deheart, currently near his recent high ranking of 174, obviously a player on form.

It was a good 1st set for Greg, who broke Deheart to win the first set 6-3.

It was a much tighter 2nd set with Deheart pushing Greg all the way, with games even at 6-6. In the tie-break it was Greg who kept his nose in front and closed out the tie-break 7-4, to win the set and the match 6-3, 7-6(4).

Unfortunately having been the 2nd match on in the morning there was not much time for Greg to celebrate his win, or get much recovery time as he had to back up and play his 2nd round match that afternoon.

Euro Summer 2010 - Update #3

After a week off from tournament play, training on grass in England at Chiswick, it was off to Nottingham for the 1st grass tournament of the European Summer, not that one could quite call it summer yet, with cold and wet days being the norm. In a very strong entry the draws gods had been kind to Greg with him avoiding the seeded players and drawing a qualifier, although sometimes a dangerous opponent to face 1st round as they have three wins under their belt and are full of confidence, with plenty of match practise on the tournament surface.
And so it proved, with Greg up against 26 year-old German Simon Stadler, currently ranked 312, with a high rank of 140. Stadler was on top early and dominated the match, breaking Greg twice in each set to win the match comfortably 6-2, 6-2.
Not a good result for Jonesie, who has now had 4 losses in a row. Let's hope he can turn the run around...