USA TOUR 2011 #23

The final round of qualifying for the US Open had Greg faced up against the No. 9 qualifying seed 25 year-old Japanese Go Soeda, currently ranked 122, with a high rank of 90 in April 2011, so in good form. Interestingly Soeda was the only seed in Greg's half of the draw, out of 16 seeds, to make the final round of qualifying, the others having lost in the first two rounds. Greg and Soeda had played once before, on indoor carpet in Japan, with Soeda winning in three sets.

Greg served first and was immediately put to the test by Soeda who forced Greg to save a break point and face multiple deuces before Greg could hold, to lead 1-0. At 1-1 Greg again faced two break points at 15-40 but again he saved and got to 2-1. At 2-2 Greg had game point on his serve but could not convert and Soeda got him to deuce and then broke to lead 3-2. Greg got Soeda to 0-30 in the next game but Soeda responded and won four points in a row to go to 4-2. Greg held for 3-4 and Soeda did likewise to lead 5-3 before getting Greg to 15-40 afcing two set-points, Soeda converting to take the set 6-3 and serve first in the second set.

Go Soeda

Soeda held to love and then again got Greg to deuce and break-point, converting to take an early lead in the 2nd set, then held serve for 3-0. Greg saved break-point again in the next service game but, after four deuces could not stop Soeda from bringing up and converting another break-point to take a decisive 4-0 lead. Soeda held to lead 5-0 and had Greg facing the possibility of being bagelled, but Greg responded and got his name on the 2nd set score-board at 5-1. Then he forced Soeda to 0-40 to have his first break-point opportunity of the match. Soeda saved those 3 points but Greg again brought up break-points and converted to get one break at 5-2. After another long deuce game Greg managed to hold serve to stay alive in the match at 5-3. This time though,with Soeda serving for the match for a second time Greg was unable to get any in-roads into the serve and Soeda duly served out the set 6-3, winning the match 6-3, 6-3 and qualifying for the US Open Main Draw.

Greg was bitterly disappointed but he had served well, at 60% for the match, but Soeda had returned better, especially on the "ad" court and Greg could not finish his service games.

And so ended his dream of qualifying for a Grand Slam event in 2011. He had done well this year, with two final showings in qualifying, but not been able to get over that final hurdle. Now to prepare for next year. First a bit of R&R, some rest back in Australia, and then the campaign will start again.

USA Tour 2011 #22

It was a stormy day which greeted players for the second round of qualifying for the US Open, with Greg the second match on his designated court. So as the rain fell it was a day of waiting around waiting for the weather to improve. At least the facilities at the Tennis Centre are top class with a big player cafe and comfy chairs in the locker room. By a quirt of the draw gods Greg's 2nd round opponent is exactly the same player Greg confronted, and lost to, in the 2nd round of the qualifying last year, bulky 23 year-old Czech Dusan Lodja, currently ranked just above Greg at 206, with ahigh rank of 161. On current form Greg will be confident but will need to exorcise last years result.

Players have returned to court so hopefully, if it does not rain again, Greg will be on court after the current Ladies match finishes.

With Greg serving first both players held serve to 2-1, when Greg got Lojda to 15-40 and converted at the first opportunity to lead 3-1 and then served a love game for 4-1. Lojda held for 4-2 but at 5-2 up Greg got Lojda to 0-40, again converting the break point opportunity immediately to win the set 6-2.

Dusan Lojda

Again serving first Greg was untroubled in getting to 3-2, when he agin got Lojda to 0-40 and converted the break-point to take a4-2 lead. After a deuce game he held serve to lead 5-2. Lojda hit back though, holding his own serve to trail 5-3. With Greg serving, with new balls, for the match Lojda upper the ante and forced Greg to 15-40. greg saved the first point but was unable to prevent Lojda breaking back, for 4-5. Lojda held serve and then Greg served a love game for 6-5. Lojda took the set to the tie-break at 6-6.

In the tie-break Greg got an early mini-break to lead 2-0 and then held the advantage to lead 4-2 at the change over, then 4-3. He won both serves to lead 6-3 and fianlly closed out the tie-break and the set 7-4, winning the match 6-2, 7-6 to advance to the final round of qualifying. Two matches down, one to go.

Greg will be happy having got revenge for the defeat last year. His service stats were good and he again showed good mental toughness after his little hic-cup in not serving out the set.

USA Tour 2011 #21

Flushing Meadows New York was the setting for the first round of the Qualifying tournament for the US Open and Greg faced the No.19 seed, who had an interesting story to tell. USA's 25 year-old Wayne Odesnik (born in South Africa) had served a one year suspension for bringing illegal human-growth drugs into Australia before the Australian Open a couple of years. After being fined, serving the suspension and losing all his points many believe Odesnik got off lightly for his offence. Since his ban Odesnik, to his credit, has battled his way back via the Futures and Challengers circuit without any wild cards to be ranked 142, having attained a high ranking of 77 in 2009. A tough match for Greg against an in-form player.

Greg served first and held and then immediately had a break point against Odesnik, who saved that point and then another before holding for 1-1. Games went with serve to 5-4 with Greg serving well. Then Greg again got Odesnik to 30-40 but was denied again. After multiple deuces Odesnik saved another break point to level the match at 5-5. Games went with serve to the tie-break at 6-6.

Greg jumped to a 2-0 lead in the tie-break but then inexplicably lost the next 6 point, and faced 4 set points. He saved the first, then won the nex 3 points to change ends at 6-6. He lost his next service point though and this time Odesnik served out the tie-break 8-6, pouching the first set 7-6, a set in which Greg never saved a break-point on his serve and in which dominated every statistic, except the score-line.

With Odesnik serving first it was a determined Greg who broke Odesnik to 15, then held serve and broke Odesnik again to lead 3-0, then held serve for a 4-0 lead. Odesnik steadied the ship for 4-1 but Greg was able to comfortably hold his own serve and served out the set 6-2, levelling the match at 1-set-all.

Wayne Odesnik

Odesnik again served first in the critical 3rd set and this time held his serve to love. Greg followed suit with his own love game, to go 1-1, before Odesnik got to 40-0 on the 3rd game. Greg pegged him back though to get to deuce and then on the 3rd deuce brought up a 2nd break-point in the game to convert and go 2-1 up. Greg served for a 3-1 lead (with the old balls) before breaking Odesnik again t lead 4-1 with a double break. He served out a love game and then served for the match at 5-2. He displayed few nerves as he won the game to 15 and the set 6-2, winning a great tussle 6-7, 6-2, 6-2.

Greg will be especially pleased with winning the match, given Odesnik's history. He served well a 62% and wom a high percentage (88%) of those serves, not allowing Odesnik to even get to deuce on any of his service games. A sterling affort. Not sure if Greg plays tomorrow or has rest day. One match down, two still to win.

USA Tour 2011 #20

After Binghampton Greg and Ryan headed for Florida, via a night in Miami, to the Bolletieri tennis academy, in Bradenton on the south-western Gulf coast of Florida. Greg had been invited to train there by USA teen star Ryan Harrison, whose dad was his coach and is also a coach at the academy.  

They were given hospitality for the week with the Harrison family, who also had Michael Venus of New Zealand with them. Unfortunatlet Ryan was not there as he had been given a wild card into the Cincinnatti Master tournament.

Greg said it was hot and humid in Bradenton but that the training was very good with plenty of hitting and fitness work. No doubt Ryan's fitness is catching up to that of Greg. He said Ryan's family were great and made their stay there very pleasant.

On the weekend they made their way to New York to acclimatise and get used to the courts at Flushing Meadows in preparation for the US Open qualifying tournament which begins on Tuesday, USA eastern time. Greg has to win three matches in order to qualify for the Main Singles draw.

USA Tour 2011 #19

The quarter finals of the Binghamton Challenger had Greg matched up against 24 year-old Slovenian Grega Zemlja, currently ranked 130, with a high rank of 111. Zemjla beat Bernard Tomic to win the Caloundra Challenger tournament in February, so will be another tough challenge for Greg.

Slovenian Grega Zemjla

Serving first Greg started confidently, serving two aces in his first service game, only to see Zemlja do the same and then get Greg to 15-40. Greg saved 3 points before Zemlja broke to lead 3-1, then serve for a 3-1 lead. The next game was a long one, seeing Greg go from 40-15 to saving 3 break-points, then having a game point before again getting broken to fall 1-4, then 1-5 behind. Greg rallied to win the next game then had Zemlja facing two break-points at 5-2. Zemlja saved and served out the game to win the 1st set 6-2.

Greg started the 2nd set with an ace but Zemlja countered and after a long deuce game broke Greg to lead 1-0. Greg responded and had Zemlja at 15-40 but Zemlja saved and after another long deuce game held to go 2-0 up. A tiring Greg then got 30-0 up before falling behind again and losing his serve to go an ominous 3-0 double-break down. Zemlja held to love and then again forced Greg to break-point and converted to take 5-0 lead, then serve out the set 6-0.

A resounding win for Zemlja, but there were some long rallies. Greg failed to close out his service games when ahead and di not win enough points on Zemlja's second serves. A disappointing end for Greg in a good tournament display.

USA Tour 2011 #18

Another "floater" awaited Greg in the 2nd round of the Binghamton Challenger, this time in the form of 31 year-old Chilean Nicolas Massu, a former top 10 player, with a high ranking of 9, but struggling at the moment, ranked at 452. Greg beat Massu recently in the final qualifying round in Los Angeles, but Massu has had quite a few matches since then and, with 10 more years on the tour than Greg, will be tough to beat.

Courts in the suburbs of Binghamton

Greg served first and both players traded breaks of serve, with Greg saving 3 of 5 break points whilst Massu saved 4 from 5, in getting to 5-5 in the 1st set. Massu then broke Greg again to take a 6-5 lead and served out the hotly contested first set 7-5. 1-0 to Massu.

Greg showed his tough mental strength in holding confidently to start the 2nd set and then broke Massu and held serve again to jump out to a 3-0 lead. Massu managed to hold after a long deuce game to get to 3-1. Two good holds of serve took them to 4-2, then Greg faced break point twice in the seventh game before closing the game for a 5-2 lead. He then got Massu to 15-40 and converted the 2nd set-point to win the set 6-2 and tie the match up at 1-set all.

Nicolas Massu

In the 3rd set, with Greg again serving first, games went with serve to 2-2. Greg was then forced to save a break-point, doing so with an ace, to stay ahead 3-2. Massu served for 3-3, then again got Greg to break point twice, Greg saving both before closing the game with an ace, to lead 4-3. In the next game Greg forced Massu to 15-40, only to see Massu save both to get back to deuce. Greg was not done and brought up another break-point, this time converting to go up a break at 5-3. Greg served for the match and brought up two match points. Massu saved the first but not the second and Greg was the winner, winning the 3rd set 6-3 and a hard fought match 5-7, 6-2, 6-3.

A good come-back win match for Greg in which he was never out-classed and showed good mental ability in hanging tough when required and taking the opportunities when required.

USA Tour 2011 #17

After overnighting in New York, Greg and Ryan hired a car and hit the road for Binghamton in the western part of New York State, for a $50k Challenger tournament. Unseeded for this event, Greg's first round opponent was the No. 7 seed, 26 year-old Spaniard Arnau Brugues-Davi, currently ranked 157 and with an impressive record in Futures events this year. On the cusp of breaking a record, this is what the ITF site had to say about Davi:

"26-year-old Spaniard, Arnau Brugues-Davi, is just five ITF Pro Circuit singles main draw wins away from surpassing the record for most consecutive match wins which has stood for over four years. His run of 35 singles match wins since the end of March 2011 has seen him claim the singles title in his last seven ITF Pro Circuit tournaments played, amassing 70 set victories with only nine sets lost!"

A tough challenge for Greg but he does have a chance as most of those wins by Davi were on clay courts.

Serving first, it was Greg who sprinted put of the blocks, holding serve then breaking Davi and holding serve again to go to a 3-0 lead. Saving 3 break-point opportunities in the first set Greg repeated the dose, breaking Davi for 4-0, then holding and breaking again to win the first set 6-0. 1-0 up in sets.

Davi improved his service and his returning but both players were able to hold serve and not have any break-point opportunities, getting to 4-4, although Greg was winning more points than Davi. Davi then upped the anti, or Greg lost concenration, as Davi forced Greg to 0-40. Greg saved a break-poin but was unable to deny Davi who broke to go 5-4 up and serve for the set. But the set was not over in Greg's mind and he fought back, getting Davi to 15-40 and then breaking back on the 2nd break-point. Greg then held easily and forced Davi to deuce, before games went to the tie-break at 6-6.

In the tie-break, the players swopped breaks of serve to change ends at 3-3. Greg got a mini-break to go 4-3 up, then held both serves to have 3 match points at 6-3. Davi saved one, then another match-point to get to 5-6, then Greg served well to end the match, winning the tie-break 7-5 and the match 6-0, 7-6.

A solid opener for Greg, who displayed good mental toughness in a close 2nd set, after dominating the first set, to break back at 4-5 down.

USA Tour 2011 #16

Grouse Mountain Vancouver

After his second round loss in the Vancouver Challenger, Greg got back to training and making preparations for the next tournament. As part of his fitness training Greg and Ryan did the "Grouse Mountain Grind". Grouse Mountain , about 15 minutes from downtown Vancouver, has many tourist and local attraction including the cable car, panoramic vistas, wildlife refuges featuring brown bears, lumberjack shows, water-water rafting, skiing in winter and the "grind", which is a 2.9km run up the mountain, rising through 853m with 2,830 steps.

Greg's knee must be repaired because he undertook the challenge and ground out a 43minute time, 13 minutes ahead of a puffing Ryan, who came in just over 56mins.

 Greg said it was tough but he came through unscathed and says it is something he will remember for a life-time.

After recovery Greg and Ryan will head for Binghampton, in eastern New York State, for a $35k Challenger tournament, which surprisingly has a very high ranked field, Greg being one of the last acceptances into the draw, only after withdrawal of other players.

USA Tour 2011 #15

Vancouver skyline

The draw gods were not kind to Greg for the second round of the Vancouver Challenger. Although Greg was seeded No. 8 there was a dangerous floater in the draw in the form of experienced former world No.15, 28 year-old American Robbie Ginepri. Ginepri is on the come-back trail after recovery from a broken left-arm injury suffered while cycling a last year.

Robbie Ginepri at Atlanta

Ginepri's ranking had dopped to 411 but he is in good form having played a few ATP events recently and was in the main draw in Vancouver courtesy of a Wild Card from the event organisers. An unfortunate real tough test for Greg.

It was Ginepri who got the better start to the match, breaking Greg's first serve, then serving to go to a 2-0 lead. Greg saved another two break-points to register on the score-board before forcing his own break-point on Ginepri's serve but was not able to convert, games going to 4-2. Ginepri  was then able to break Greg again and served out the first set 6-2.

Ryan Bellamy, Greg and Canadian Pierre Duclos

In the 2nd set Greg's service percentages picked up and he held serve early on, games going to 2-1 in Greg's favour. He then managed to get Ginepri to muktiple deuces in the next game but could not get that elusive break-point opportunity, Ginepri holding serve for 2-2. Then Ginepri upped the ante and had Greg facing break-points at 15-40. Greg saved those break-points to get to deuce, then saved another before he was unable to stop a relentless Ginepri, who broke to go 3-2, then 4-2 up.

A repeat of the first set then saw Ginepri  break again and serve for the set at 5-2. Greg was unable to counter and Ginepri won a match he dominated 6-2, 6-2.

A disappointing loss for Greg, with a unfortunate draw preventing from going deeper into the tournament. Back to the practise courts for him and Ryan.

Ginepri was a finalist, losing to England's James Ward.

USA Tour 2011 #14

After training, on a day in which he was not playing in the Vancouver Challenger tournament,

Greg was able to see some of the sights of Vancouver, going up a cable car on the mountain with some breathtaking views, seeing some brown bears and other tourist attractions such as wood chopping.

He also said the Tennis Club was one of the best he had been at, with views of the city, mountains and islands from the Cafe deck, with live music and great food, all overlooking the main tennis courts. Certainly an event he is enjoying.

Getting back to business it was the first round of the doubles for Greg and his Canadian partner Pierre-Ludovic Duclos who were up against the doubles specialist pairing of USA's Travis Parrot and Treat Conrad Huey of the Phillipines, the No.2 seeds.

With Duclos serving first it was the No.2 seeds who were quick off the mark, breaking Duclos first up and going to a 2-0 lead. Another break of Duclos's serve saw them go to 4-1, then 5-1 up. Greg managed to steady the ship but parrot served out the set 6-2.

Pierre-Ludovic Duclos

The 2nd set saw Duclos hold serve but this time it was Greg who dropped serve, at 3-3, to give Parrot/Huey the advantage at 4-4 up. But Greg and Duclos broke back to level at 4-4, only to see Duclos fail to hold serve and the No.2 seeds served out the match 6-2, 6-4.

With Coldplay a feature attraction after tonight's session, Greg will have to pull himself away from the entertainment for an early night before his second round singles match tomorrow.

USA Tour 2011 #13

In Vancouver, Canada for a $100k Challenger event Greg was seeded No.8 and in the first round was matched up against a wild card, 31 year-old American David Martin, currently ranked 698 in the singles. David is mainly a doubles player with a high ranking of 38. Not sure why he was awarded a wild card.

Hollyburn Country Club

With Martin serving first it was Greg who took the early lead, breaking Martin and holding serve to go to 3-2 up. Greg held serve to get to 5-3 up, then broke Martin again to win the 1st set 6-3.

Serving first in the 2nd set, Greg held easily and was untroubled by Martin on his own serve. Games went with serve to 3-2 then Greg brought up break-point opportunities on Martin's serve and converted to go 4-2 up, serving the next game to love to go 5-2 up. Martin held for 5-3 but Greg confidently served out the match, winning the second set 6-3 and the match 6-3, 6-3. 

Vancouver skyline in the evening

A good early match for Greg to ease him into the tournament. He served well, hitting 12 aces to one double fault and denied Martin any chance to break, not allowing Martin to get past 40-15 on any of Greg's service games. Greg plays his next match on Wednesday.