AO WC Playoff #3

The semi-final of the AO Wild Card play-off was played on a hot very windy day, with the blustery wind making it difficult to play good power tennis and levelling the playing field in the match up of Greg against his fellow school team player, teenager 19 year-old James Duckworth. Duckworth has had a stellar year on the Futures Circuit this year, reaching six finals and winning three of them, reducing his ranking some 300 places to his current ranking of 274. Greg and Duckworth have never played each other at ATP/ITF level but Greg should be confident against the younger, clay court type player although the windy conditions will make play tricky.

James Duckworth

Duckworth won the toss and served first. Greg was quick out of the blocks and immediately had Duckworth at 0-30 but two loose forehands meant he could not keep the pressure on and Duckworth held, games going with serve to 4-3 up. With new balls in the seventh game Greg should have held serve easily but, after starting the game with an ace, he was unable to find another first serve in the windy conditions and went 15-40 down. He got the score back to deuce but Duckworth persisted and brought up two more break-points, converting to take the lead and serve for the set at 5-3. Greg had other ideas and with a few good returns and a few winners forced Duckworth to 15-40 and then broke him to get back on serve at 4-5. Greg held to love for 5-5, then broke Duckworth again, and after a huge effort and a big momentum swing, Greg served out the set, to end a remarkable come back to win the set 7-5.

In the 2nd set, Duckworth steadied the ship, winning his serve after losing 4 games in a row, and games went with serve to 3-2. Then Greg again inexplicably struggled with the new balls in the wind and faced break-point. He missed a close 2nd serve wide, double faulting to lose serve. Greg thought the ball was good and this seemed to upset him and drain him. Duckworth had an important break to lead 4-2. This time he consolidated the break in a love game, ending with an ace and then again broke a still clearly annoyed Greg, who had another close-call over-ruled by the chair umpire, to bring up set point. Greg double faulted giving Duckworth the game, and not forcing him to serve out the set, which Duckworth won 6-2. 

With Duckworth serving first Greg again had him in trouble immediately, bringing up break-point in the 1st game. Unfortunately Greg was not able to capitalise on a short 2nd serve, catching the net tape on the return and the chance was gone. As happens, Greg then faced break-point in the next game and saved two break-points before uncharacteristically double faulting on game point and then getting broken to fall 0-2 behind. Duckworth held to love for a clear 3-0 lead. Greg dug deep and held serve and then brought up break-point again. This time Duckworth saved with an ace but Greg again got to break-point. This time a high back-hand volley at the net proved to be too difficult in the wind and Duckworth held to go 4-1 up.

 Greg again was not done and held serve and then broke Duckworth to get back on serve and hold for 4-4. In Duckworth's next game Duckworth again faced break-point but Greg could not break. Score 5-4 to Duckworth. I the next game Greg had game point but another double fault saw Duckworth able to bring up match point. Greg played a great point, forcing Duckworth wide, stretching for the ball. Duckworth just managed to flick up the ball, which looked to be sailing well wide and long. Unfortunately the wind blew the ball back unto court. It clipped the line and Greg was not prepared, scambling to get to it and dumping a weak shot in the net to give the point and the match to Duckworth.

A very frustrating match for Greg, who in the 3rd set had game point in 9 of the 10 games but was unable take advantage of that fact, the wind playing a significant part in the outcome, being more in the favour of Duckworth's reliable back-court game then the big power game of Greg.

Greg will rue the chances he did not take, that loss no doubt hurting his chances of gaining any wild cards into the big tournaments this summer.