Back in the saddle #6 - Roland Garros

Qualifying at Roland Garros

The sun came out at Roland Garros for the second round of qualifying but, being the 6th match on Court 6, it was very late in the day that Greg took to court for his match. And it was not the seeded player who Greg was expecting to play, having avoided a seed in the 1st round, but the Frenchman 24 year-old Kenny de Schepper, currently ranked 167 with a high rank of 132. The 6'8" big serving giant had beaten the No. 15 seed in the 1st round and with the crowd behind him would be a formidable opponent.

Court 6 at RG

With serves dominating the early games and De Schepper serving first, games went with serve to 4-4. De Schepper was holding serve easily but Greg was taken to 30 or deuce each game but managed to hang in there. Then Greg upped the ante and forced De Schepper to 30-40 and converted at the first opportunity to lead the set 5-4. With Greg surprisingly serving for the set, De Schepper hit back to have Greg facing two break points at 15-40. Greg saved those to get back to deuce and then had to save another break point before finally holding serve to win the set 6-4.

Lefty Kenny De Schepper

With De Schepper again serving first in the second set Greg was again forced to play catch up and at 0-1 down he again saved two break points to hold a long game to get to 1-1. It was then Greg's turn to force De Schepper to 15-40 but big serving from De Schepper denied Greg the chance to go a break up. Greg held a deuce game to level at 2-2 and then again had De Schepper at 15-40. Two aces from De Schepper snuffed out that opportunity and Greg served at 3-2, with last game with the old balls. With both big servers struggling on the slow clay surface with the old balls, it was now Greg's turn to face break-point, at 0-40 down. Greg saved the first but could not stop De Schepper breaking this time, to go 4-2 up. 

The sun sets over Roland Garros



With new balls De Schepper quickly held for 5-2, then Greg held to force De Schepper to serve for the set. Greg saved one set point but it was De Schepper who won the second set 6-3 to level the match at on set all, after a nip 'n tuck set that could have gone either way.

It was approaching 9pm in Paris and in the dusk and failing light the match was postponed, to be fought by the two big servers the next day. A one set dash for cash match.