USA Spring 2011 - Update #3



Indoor Courts



Greg took to the indoor hard courts for his second match round in the Dallas Challenger against rising USA star, wild card recipient Denis Kudla. The 18 year-old Ukrainian born Kudla, who reached a junior high ranking of 3 last year and is now at an ATP career high ranking of 483, had a good 1st rond win and will be a tough test for Greg.

Both player's 1st serves were not firing in the set, Greg at a poor43% for the set, and it was Kudla who took the advantage, over powering a mis-firing Greg to get a break up and then serve out the first set 6-3.
A set down, the woes continued for Greg and he agin found himself a break down at 2-4. He set about righting the matter but still could not find that elusive first serve. Greg held for 3-4, then broke Kudla to get back into the set at 4-4. But Kudla pounced on some more poor serving and broke again, to serve for the match at 5-4 up. But Greg was tenacious and got Kudla to 15-40, only to see Kudla hold to deuce. Again Greg brought up a break point and this time converted to deny Kudla the match. Greg held and took the set to the tie-break. He got an early lead and ran away with the tie-break, winning it 7-3 and levelling the match at 1 set all.

Greg now had the impetus and after a long game broke Kudla to go 1-0 up. An even longer service game ensued for Greg, unable to serve a first serve. He saved three separate break points before closing out the game on the fifth deuce to lead 2-0. After that he started playing a lot more confidently, holding to go 3-1 up.At 4-2 he again forced Kudla to break point, converting to get a double break up and then served out the set, to win a close match 3-6, 7-6(3), 6-2.

Not Greg's best performance but a well fought match in which he never gave up.