African Expedition - Update #7

As with the singles, the doubles semi-finals were also delayed by the persistent rain and eventually played on Sunday. Greg and Rajeev faced the also unseeded pair of Aussie Matt Ebden and Andre Begemann. Having disposed of the No.1 seeds in the previous round Greg and Rajeev were confident of a good result going into this match and matched that confidence with some good play to start. However they were unable to convert their opportunities and it was their opponents which drew first blood and broke Greg and Raj for a surprise lead in the first set, going on to win the first set 6-3.

Greg and Raj rose to the challenge and took an early lead in the second set, only to see Ebden and Begemann fight back and take the 2nd set into a tie-break at 6-6. It was a tight tie-break and Greg and Raj had the opportunity to take the match into the match tie-break with a set point opportunity. Ebden and Begemann again responded and saved the set point, bringing up their own match point and converting to win the tie-break 8-6 and a close fought match 6-3, 7-6.
Greg was bitterly disappointed, as a final had beckoned in both semi-final matches but he had come up empty handed, and had also missed the first day of his planned trip to the game park in Botswana. On the positive side he had performed beyond expectation, whilst carrying a leg injury and now had the prospect of at least 10 days holiday at Chobe River and in Benoni, attending the wedding of his cousin Gary and Lara as one of the groomsmen.

African Expedition - Update #6

Greg and coach Joshua Eagle

The semi-final of the singles in Soweto was played about 2 hours after the QF match, with Greg up against one of the local South African players, 30 year-old Rik de Voest, ranked 184 with a high ranking of 110.
Greg served first and was first to take the initiative, breaking De Voest and then serving out the first set 6-3. With rain clouds building, calls were not going Greg's way but he hung in, saving a break-point and serving some aces to get to 3-3 in the 2nd set. De Voest was serving with some accuracy and won the next game to go 4-3 up. De Voest was started to pick Greg's serve and forced Greg to 15-40. With Greg facing 2 break points the heavens intervened and the rain poured down, suspending further play.

Wet Soweto Centre Court

Well it rained for a day and a half and no further play was possible on Friday or Saturday, the tournament being extended by a day in order to reach a conclusion. Poor Greg was forced to delay his holiday plans and re-schedule his flight to the Chobe River in Botswana to Monday, missing a day of the four day trip.
At midday on Sunday the sun reluctantly shone through the clouds and play continued, with Greg serving at 15-40. Some good serves later and Greg had levelled the score at 4-4. He was unable to pressure De Voest in giving up a break point opportunity though and games went to the tie-break at 6-6. Greg said he played tentatively in the breaker, with a great deal riding on the result and the more experienced De Voest seized the opportunity and gained the mini-break, winning the tie-break 7-4 and the set 7-6, levelling the match at 1 set all.
With the crowd and impetus behind him it was De Voest who gained the upper-hand in the 3rd set, breaking a struggling Greg for the first time in the tournament and then holding serve to lead 5-2. He again pressurised Greg with some good returns, breaking serve for the second time to win the set 6-2 and the match 3-6, 7-6, 6-2.
A disappointing finish for Greg, who had played beyond expectation  but who could have achieved more in this tournament.

African Expedition - Update #5

Due to heavy and persistent rain the quarter-finals of the singles in Soweto was delayed until Friday, which meant that the winner of the match would have to back up and play the semi-final on the same day. Luckily it was the same for all players. Greg faced a daunting task in his match up with the No.2 seed and top 100 player, 27 year-old Gilles Muller of Luxembourg, currently ranked 119 with a high ranking of 59.
On the slick fast courts at high altitude, it was the services which dominated, and whilst Muller served more aces and less double faults than Greg, Greg played the bigger points better and managed to save a break point, as games went with serve in the first set to 5-5. Muller also saved two break points in the first set but, at 6-5 up, Greg brought up another break point and seized the opportunity, winning the point and with it the set 7-5.
In the second set, service again dominated. Greg managed to stay in front and at 4-3 broke Muller, to lead 5-3 and serve for the set. Greg served aggressively and Muller was unable to break back, with Greg winning the set 6-3 and advancing to the semi-final with a good straight sets 7-5 6-3 win.

African Expedition - Update #4



James Cerretani



In the second round of the doubles, in the Soweto Open, Greg and partner Rajeev faced the No.1 seeded doubles specialists pairing of American James Cerretani and Canadian Adil Shamasdin, currently ranked 70 in the doubles ranking.

It was Greg and Raj who got the break in the first set, going on to win the set 6-4.

Cerretani and Shamasdin fought back, getting a break of serve in the second set and winning the set 6-3, to level the match at one set all.

In the match tie-break Greg's big serve made the difference and with the experience of Rajeev to back it up they ran away with the tie-break, winning it 10-2 and the match 6-4, 3-6, 10-3, to progress to the semi-final.

African Expedition - Update #3

The second round of the singles in Soweto began under grey skies threatening rain. First match on, Greg's opponent was the experienced 29 year-old Czech Jan Mertl, ranked 317 this week, with a high ranking of 163, very similar to Greg's best, so it could be a close match.

With no live-scoring for this tournament no details are available, suffice to say it was a close match. The first set went to the tie-breaker at 6 games all. Greg got an early mini-break and consolidated, going on to win the tie-break 7-3.

The second was almost as tight, with Greg getting the all important break of serve right at the death, winning the set 7-5 and the match 7-6, 7-5, to advance to the quarter-final round. And then it rained.
Greg says he is still not moving at his best but played the "big points" well and was able to take his opportunities.
Greg and Raj play their 2nd round doubles match later in the afternoon, SA time.

African Expedition - Update #2

Rajeev Ram

Playing with American Rajeev Ram, a well seasoned campaigner, their first round doubles opponents were the relatively in-experienced South African pairing of Ruan Roelofse and Renier Moolman, who Greg played against in the singles.

The South Africans never threatened and Greg and Raj ran out comfortable 6-2, 6-3 winners.
They will face a tougher test tomorrow when they face up against the No. 1 seeds.

African Expedition - Update #1

After a week battling to recover from an injury to his lower left leg, and given the all clear by the Tennis Australian Doctor but still under treatment Greg flew off to the Johannesburg, for his first senior tournament on the African continent, a $50k Challenger to be held at the Arthur Ashe Stadium in Soweto.
Greg received a favourable first round draw, up against 19 year-old wild card recipient, Renier Moolman from South Africa, currently ranked 1187 in the ATP singles rankings.

It was a good hit-out for Greg, still nursing the injury, and he was always in command, holding serve well and breaking Moolman twice in each set to run out a comfortable 6-3, 6-2 winner.

In the doubles Greg has paired with American Rajeev Ram and will play the first round doubles match on Tuesday afternoon.

Back in Oz in March - Update #2

The second round of the Futures tournament in Ipswich, Brisbane had Greg facing up against 23 year-old Japanese qualifier Kento Takeuchi, currently ranked 910. Greg was still experiencing pain in his leg leg shin whilst hitting, so was going to see how the leg progressed during the match.
Greg got off to a good start and had brerak-point opportunities in the first two of Takeuchi's service games, but was unable to convert, getting to 2-2 in score. Greg then decided that the pain in his leg, whilst bearable, was generally getting worse whilst playing. He decided then to be prudent and retired from the match.
He decided that there was too much to risk in exacebating th injury playing for minor points at that stage of the tournament. He thought he had enough game to win that match but then had to back up an hour later, due to the rain delay on Tuesday for his next, tougher match. That would make the injury worse and perhaps not be able to play a tough semi-final match on Saturday. As he has made the main draw of the Challenger tournament in Johannesburg in ten days he wanted to not worsen the injury and then be able to give himself sufficient time to repair and prepare for Challenger.
Greg was disappointed but thinks he is making the right decision, in what is his first "retired injured" in Senior tennis, if my memory served me correct. Takeuchi would have been delighted with the "win".

Back in Oz in March - Update #1

Having completed the three day ATP University course in Miami Greg took advantage of the ATP paying for his flight to anywhere and returned to Australia, as there were no viable alternatives for tournaments elsewhere. After a few days hitting and training with Todd Woodbridge at Melbourne Park, it was off to Ipswich, Brisbane to play in a Futures tournament, on clay, courtesy of a TA wild card.
The bad news though is that in training Greg had developed an injury to his left calf, which despite constant treatment, was not going away. He was perfectly normal off court but when loading up the leg, which happens multiple times every point, he had severe pain in his left shin. After getting a late start and then having play delayed for a day by rain, he was able to give the leg a few days rest before taking to court for his 1st round match.

Seeded No.2 for the tournament, it was a good opportunity to go deep into the draw and get some valuable points. His first round opponent was 23 year-old Australian Joshua Crowe, who has struggled at Senior level after being a promising Australian Junior, currently ranked 1105. Greg got off to a god start and was untroubled in the first set, getting a break up and the breaking again to close out the first set 6-3.
Due to his injury, which gave him trouble again throughout the match, Greg was unable to move properly. Some bad play by Crowe coupled by some good serving and returning by Greg, saw Greg deny Crowe any opportunities, taking a stranglehold on the match with another break of serve. Greg then served out the set, again 6-3, to win the match and proceed to the second round.
Good, gutsy work, keeping the points short, but Greg will have to take the tournament match by match and see how his leg progresses in the next round.