USA Tour 2011 #8

Greg next headed for the west coast, having again got a gig with a WTT team, this time the Springfield Lasers, from Missouri. First stop was Newport for a fixture against the Newport Beach Breakers.

Rik De Voest

Greg played in the Men's Doubles with South Africa's Rik De Voest, winning a close match 5-4 and then backed up to partner USA's Carly Gullickson in the Mixed doubles. Unfortunately the opposition was too strong this time and they lost 2-5, the team going down 21 games to 14 on the night.

After a late dinner, it was up early to travel to Sacremento where the team were scheduled to play against the Sacremento Capitals, a strong team headed up by Mardy Fish and Vania King.



Dusan Vemic

Fish was away playing in the ATP Tour event in Atlanta, so Greg, who was asked to play the singles started the first match against 37 year-old Serbian Dusan Vemic, a former top doubles player. The match was a close affair, with Greg unable to benefit from 6 break-point opportunities, Vemic serving too big and taking the match to a tie-break at 4-4. Greg's serve percentage dropped in the tie-break and Vemic capitalised, running out at 5-4 winner and winning the match 5-4.

In the Men's doubles Greg again partnered De Voest. They played well to fight back from a 0-2 deficit to win the match 5-4 against the very well drilled doubles combination of Mark Knowles and Vemic. Unfortunately the team lost the ladies doubles 0-5, which gave the Capitals a good lead. The team gained ground winning the ladies doubles 5-2 and came within 2 games of winning but lost the final mixed doubles 3-5 and an exciting fixture 17-21.

Greg said it was great fun but with the late night very tiring.

Off to Los Angeles early tomorrow morning.