Summer in the States 2012 #6



Innisbrook Golf Resort and Spa entry

The sun was shining and the wind was just a breeze as Greg took to the court in Innisbrook, Florida on a hot summer day. His opponent for the quarter-final match of the 10k Futures tournament was 21 year-old Slovenian Blaz Rola. With Rola having a high singles ranking of 388 and currently ranked 737, the unseeded Rola had beaten the No. 7 seed and not dropped a set yet in the tournament. A sterner test for Greg than his previous matches but one which Greg should be confident in winning. Things did not start well for Greg though and he could not get firing, going down an early break to the left-hander Rola. Greg tried to get back into the set but Rola had the bit between his teeth and tenaciously defended his lead He then turned defence into attack, breaking a misfiring Greg again to go ahead and win the first set 6-2.

Leftie Blaz Rola

Greg got more into the match in the second set and matched it with Rola. But it was Rola who got the decisive break of serve. Greg could not get into the leftie serve of Rola and it was Rola who went on to win the second set 6-4, and the match 6-2, 6-4, bundling the No.1 seed out of the tournament.
A disappointing and unexpected result from Greg, who was definitely the favourite to win the tournament, never mind the match. At least Greg got five wins under his belt this week. Not sure what the match stats were or how many chances Greg had to break Rola, or managed to save, but the stats can only favour the unheralded Rola.
The good news is that Greg has been told that he has just made the cut for the main draw of a Challenger tournament in Winnetka, Chicago next week, so that will be his next destination.
Greg said that Rola's ATP ranking did not reflect his tennis ability as he has been at Ohio State in the USA College tennis system, where he is ranked 5th on the USA College ranking and has only played the Pro Circuit intermittently. Before Rola started at College he reached his high rank of 388 in only 8 months, so is a player of some talent, who is used to the USA conditions, the clay surface and the balls. Greg said he had played well but was unable to match Rola on the day.

Summer in the States 2012 #5

With the weather almost back to normal in the Futures tournament in Innisbrook, Greg was looking forward to matching it against 20 year-old Chuhan Wang, from China, ranked 970.
Having established his clay court footing now, Greg was in good form in the first set, getting an early break of serve and then storming through the set, holding serve easily and then breaking Wang a second time to win the set 6-2.
The second set followed much the same pattern with Greg dominating play and getting one break of serve to cruise home 64-, and win a comfortable match, both tennis and weather wise, 6-2, 6-4.
Through to the quarter-final round, with five wins under his belt, a much more comfident Greg will face a much sterner test in the round to follow.

Summer in the States 2012 #4

The first round of the Main Draw in Innisbrook, Florida was played in much improving weather albeit still very windy. As the best ranked player in the tournament Greg was installed as the No.1 seed in the Main Draw. Greg's opponent was fellow qualifier 23 year-old South African Patrick-Keith Crowley, currently ranked 1142, no doubt a college tennis in the States, so could be a handy player.
Greg's play improved throughout the match and he was untroubled in the match, converting two break's of serve in each set to carve out a 6-3, 6-2 first round win.
Greg said he did not play all that well, with the conditions not conducive to good tennis and the lack of pace from his opponent making playing quality tennis tricky, but through to the 2nd round none the less.

Summer in the States 2012 #3

Despite the dire weather forecast and gale force winds the Innisbrook Futures tournament did manage to get through the qualifying matches on Monday.
In the third round Greg faced up against young 18 year-old Charles DePaolo, yet to earn his first ranking point. Greg said the wind was howling throughout, with tornado warnings in the area. The courts were not in the best condition due to the deluge received in near hurricane conditions on the previous day, but he managed to dig deep and put his experience to good use. Greg dominated the 1st set, breaking DePaolo three times to win the set 6-1. In the 2nd set Greg dropped the intensity slightly and let DePaolo stay with him, games going with serve to 5-5 before Greg broke DePaolo again, holding serve to win the 2nd set 7-5 and progress to the final round of qualifying.

Local Matt Lasprilla



In the final round another young 18 year-old American, Matthew Lasprilla, shaped up against Greg. Also not yet ranked, Lasprilla had not dropped a set in getting through the first three rounds of qualifying, so would be a tough test for Greg. With the wind still howling and the match delayed and disrupted by rain squalls, Greg was again able to draw on his greater experience to comfortable wi the first set, breaking Lasprilla twice to win 6-2.

The second set was a bit closer but Greg remained in control, breaking Lasprilla just the once in a 6-3 scoreline, to win the match 6-2, 6-3 and qualify for the main draw of the tournament.
Having achieved his aim if getting some match practise and winning some matched, albeit in horrendous conditions, Greg now has the opportunity of playing some better quality matches and getting some points for his troubles. He is scheduled to play his 1st round main draw match on Wednesday, Florida time.

Summer in the States 2012 #2

Tropical Storm Debbie

With Tropical Storm Debbie thrashing the Tampa area of Florida, accompanied by a few tornadoes, there was no play on Sunday in the Innisbrook Futures tournaments. 

Trees destroyed

If the weather clears, which is highly unlikely as more torrential rain is forecast for Monday, Greg will then play his third round qualifying match, followed by the final round, if he proceeds. 

A twister touches down

Not sure what happens if play is washed out again.

Summer in the States 2012 #1

Closely beaten and bundled out of qualifying at Eastbourne, by No.2 seed Aussie Marinko Matosevic (who subsequently qualifed and reached the quarter-finals, beating the No.1 seed Richard Gasquet in the second round) and unable to make the qualifying draw for Wimbledon due to his drop in ranking, Greg headed for Tampa in Florida to spend the better part of the northern summer in the USA. Greg's aim is to get some much needed match practise, match fitness and (hopefully) the winning experience by playing in the qualifying for a lower level Futures Tournament. 

Innisbrook Golf & Spa Resort

The tournament, a $10k Futures event, is being hosted at the Innisbrook Golf and Spa Resort and Greg is senjoying the luxury accommodation at excellent rates for a change.

In his quest for more match play he was thwarted at the first step by the draw which presented him with a bye in the first round, so he did not play on Friday. In the second round he will play the winner of two as yet unranked players, so should be able to ease into the tournament, unless he encounters a future "Nadal" just starting out on his career.

Greg's opponent in the second round is 16 year-old Alexandru Gozun from the USA, who had an easy win in the first round and recently won three rounds of qualifying and pushed experienced American Ryler Deheart to three sets, on the green clay of Florida. So Greg will need to be at his best and concentrate throughout the match. 

Innisbrook course view

And so it proved to be. Greg said that his opponent "was a huge 16 year-old kid who hit the shit out of the ball and got hot..."

With Gozun serving first, it was Greg who went up an early break. However a sloppy service game from Greg saw Gozun break back, with the scores level midway through the set at 3-3. Gozun started hitting the ball well and Greg was unable to break again, games going to 5-5. Playing well, Gozun was putting pressure on Greg who was tightening up and he broke Greg again, snatching the 1st set 7-5.

Greg started thinking "I can't lose my 1st match in qualifying of a $10k Futures, as the No.1 seed" which made him play even tighter. Greg again broke Gozun early in the set to lead by a break but Gozun broke straight back, and then held serve easily. Greg was feeling that, everything, including all the luck, was going against him. He was feeling fatigued and what felt like cramps coming on, on an incredibly hot and humid day. But Gozun could not maintain his high level of play and Greg started grinding on the clay, winning more of the rallies and playing his way back into the set. He steadied the ship and then broke Gozun to go 5-3 up and then served out the set 6-3, to give himself a chance in the match, levelling the score at one set all.

A regal foyer

 More confident now, Greg broke early in the 3rd set and started putting more run of points together, getting a second decisive break. Playing quite well now, having adjusted to the pace, the clay and the hot conditions, Greg broke Gozun again to take a stanglehold ont he 3rd set and ran away with the 3rd set 6-2 and a nervous, challenging match 5-7, 6-3, 6-2.

It was a very relieved Greg who said "Thank God I got through the match".

In the third round of qualifying tomorrow, if the evening rain goes away overnight, Greg faces another 18 year-old American, Charles DePaolo, also unranked on the ATP Tour. Let's hope he is not another "mini Nadal" and also that Greg pulls up ok after signs of cramp in the hot humid conditions.

Back in the Saddle #13 - On Grass

Unable to play in the Qualifying Tournament for Wimbledon next week, due to the drop in his rankings, Greg was fortunate to get into the qualifying for the ATP250 event at Eastbourne, also on grass, with a hope of playing during the week. His horrid luck in the draws continued, last week he drew the No.1 seed and this week was little better in the No.2 and, as the vagaries of rankings and entries would have it, the same player, 27 year-old Australian Marinko Matosevic, now at his highest ranking of 83. Another tough match for both players.

Centre Court at Eastbourne

With Greg serving first and both players serving well, it was Matosevic who applied the most pressure, forcing Greg to face four break points whilst only giving up one break point opportunity on his serve. Greg rose to the challenge and saved those points whilst not being able to break Matosevic, games tensely going with serve to the tie-break at 6-6. In a very close tie-break it was Greg who faced the first set point at 5-6 down and, although serving, he was unable to stop Matosevic from breaking and winning the point, to win the tie-break 7-5 and the set 7-6.

Frustrated, Greg took the game to Matosevic in the second set, going for his biggest serves, and whilst serving at only 50% for the second set, winning all of those first serves. He also managed to get more of Matosevic's serves back and brought up a break point opportunity in the first game, breaking to lead 1-0 and then holding serve for 2-0. Attacking Matosevic'second serve Greg won all of those serves and broke Matosevic again, to lead 3-0, then hold for 4-0. Trailing by two breaks of serve Matosevic's resolve dropped and Greg broke and held again to "bagel" Matosevic in the 2nd set, levelling the match at 1-set-all, with a 6-0 scoreline. 

Big-serving Matosevic

With Matosevic serving Greg kept the pressure on and quickly had a despondent mis-firing Matosevic facing two break points at 15-40. Then the rain came and play was suspended.

Matosevic had time to compose, chat to his coach and re-group. He came out a different player and saved those two break point opportunities. He held for 1-0 and then, re-focussed, took the game to Greg. Greg held firm and saved a break point, with games going with serve to 5-5. At 15-30 down Matosevic fought back to win that vital game and go 6-5 up, transferring the pressure to Greg. Matosevic got Greg to 30-40, facing a break-point and ultimately match point, and kept enough pressure on to break Greg and win the game, set and match 7-6(5), 0-6, 7-5.

A disappointing loss for Greg in a very closely contested match with both players going for broke and fighting hard. Not much in it. But Greg will be wondering when his luck in the draws might change.

Back in the Saddle #12 - On Grass

The final round of qualifying at Nottingham saw Greg facing up against 25 year-old Adrien Bossel of Switzerland, currently ranked 404, with a high rank of 345, Bossel had two good wins on his way to the 3rd round, so not to be taken lightly, but a good opportunity for Greg to progress to the main draw.
The rain delaying play once again, the match was forced indoors once again, onto the slick indoor surface, which would play more into the tall big-serving Swiss player's favour, due to his indoor experience having grown up on that surface in the cold Swiss climate.

The 1st set saw Bossel use his height and big serve to take the ascendancy and close Greg out by giving him  no break-pint opportunities. Despite Greg serving well Bossel was able to have three break point opportunities, and managed to break Greg once and ended up winning the 2nd set 6-4.
The 2nd set saw the tables reversed, with Greg serving the better. They swopped service break before Greg broke Bossel a second time to lead 5-4 and serve out the set 6-4 and level the match at one set all.

Adrien Bossel

The third set was keenly contested. Both players gave up a break of serve. Greg forced Bossel to face 7 break-points in the set, but was only able to convert the one opportunity, games going to 5-5. Bossel then broke Greg and won the set 7-5 and the match 6-4, 4-6, 7-5, taking his place in the main draw.

Greg said he had played well but had very little luck in a match of missed opportunities. He had served very well, especially in the 3rd set at 63% and had fired down 18 aces to Bossel's 7 aces but still came out on the wrong side of the score-sheet.

Very disappointing for Greg but reflective of the competitive depth of Men's tennis. You beat a top 100 ranked player one day and then get beaten the next day by a player who has never progressed beyond 300 in the rankings, on an alien surface. Greg also commented on the fact that he had been unable to train on the indoor surface, and not much outdoors either, due to the poor weather.
And now let's hope for a more fruitful second half of 2012.

Back in the Saddle #11 - On Grass

Grass courts at Nottingham

The second round of qualifying has Greg shaping up against the No.1 seed, Australian Marinko Matosevic. A wild card entrant due to the fact that he had reached the semis in the previous event (and lost) and by that fact was not able to play in the qualifying event of the ATP tournament at Queens, it was a surprise that Aussie Marinko Matosevic did not receive a special exempt entry into the main draw. Currently at his highest ranking, newly entered in the ATP top 100 at 89, Marinko has a good record against Greg, recently beating him soundly in the final of the Caloundra Challenger on hard court in February. Marinko played three matches yesterday, the QF and SF round of the first Nottingham Challenger event and the first round of qualifying, so let's hope he is fatigued and Greg can take advantage and play his best tennis to turn the tables on Marinko.
On grass, late in the afternoon, Greg served first and made a confident start, as did Matosevic. With the server dominating, games went with serve, back and forth, to 5-4, Greg leading. Greg then upped the ante and hit two winners to get Matosevic to 15-40, then converted the set-point with another winner to pouch the first set 6-4.

Marinko Matosevic

Serving first again in the second set, Matosevic hit back, forcing Greg to break-point and then converting the opportunity to win the first game and lead 1-0. Annoyed, Greg fought back and immediately broke Matosevic to level the match at 1-1. Although the 1st serve percentages of both player's dropped from that of the first set, the server dominated in the 2nd set, games going back and forth with serve to 6-6 and the tie-break. Greg held his first point and then got a mini-break to go ahead. He consolidated that break and then broke again to lead 5-2 and have the opportunity to serve out the tie-break. He brought up match point and then won the next point to win the tie break 7-2 and the set 7-6, winning the match and progressing to the final with a solid 6-4, 7-6 win.
Still one match to win to get into the main draw but it was another good win over a top 100 ranked player. Admittedly Matosevic was tired from a full tournament week and three matches played on the previous day but Greg knuckled down and took his opportunity to record a good win. Now for the final round of qualifying.

Back in the Saddle #10 - On Grass

Still in Nottingham, the tournament and Greg's training has been severely constrained by the rainy English weather. Greg was hoping to make the cut for qualifying again, for the second Challenger tournament in Nottingham.
Greg did make the cut and was up against 22 year-old Brit Joshua Milton, currently ranked 420, with a high rank of 306. Greg had only met Milton once previously, in a Futures event in 2009, when Greg, feeling the pressure of being No.1 seed in that event, lost to Milton. Let's hope history does not repeat itself.

Joshua Milton

In a rain delayed late match, both players swopped breaks of serve before Greg, serving the better, broke Milton again and skipped away, this time holding serve to consolidate the break, He then broke Milton a third time to win the 1st set 6-2.
The second set was a closer affair. With Greg serving first there were no breaks of serve until 3-3. Greg then held serve for 4-3, then broke Milton to take a decisive 5-3 lead. Greg then served out the set, winning the second set 6-3 and advancing to the second round with a solid 6-2, 6-3 win.

Back in the Saddle #9 - On Grass

From Roland Garros it was across the channel by train to England and his regular B&B in Wimbledon for Greg.
He only had one night there and then he was off to Nottingham for the first of two Challenger tournaments, this time on grass. The weather was not good so Greg was struggling to get decent court time to make the transition frm clay to grass, with an hour long hit on indoor courts on Saturday. With his current ranking worse than 300 it was unseeded in the qualifying draw for Greg and he drew an unseeded player, 24 year-old Ukrainian Ilya Marchenko, currently ranked 298, with a high rank of 67 in July 2010. Marchenko has also been injured, like Greg, and this was his first tounament back.
Greg was supposed to be first match on but due to persistent rain the match was changed from outdoor grass to the fast indoor courts, and to fourth match on. After a three houd delay they had a 10 minute warm -up and then into the match on unfamiliar indoor surface. Not good for someone coming off slow clay courts.

Ukranian Ilya Marchenko

With Marchenko serving first, the games went quickly with Greg unable to make in-roads into Marchenko's serve. Greg was struggling with his first serve and facing break-point a missed volley saw him drop serve. Marchenko, who was serving at over 70%, was able to hold serve, winning the first set 6-4.

The 2nd set saw Marchenko serve even better, whilst breaking Greg early. Marchenko consolidated by holding his serve and then broke Greg to take a stranglehold on the match, going on to win the 2nd set decisively 6-1 and the match 6-4 6-1, to halt any thought Greg had of improving his ranking.

Greg said Marchenko served ridicuously well, at 74% first serve for the first serve, with 10 aces.
Marchenko actually acknowleged that to Greg at then end of the match, saying that he had skipped the clay court tournament and been training on indoor courts in the Ukraine after his recovery from injury. You just can't help good luck...
And back to the training courts for Greg until next week's tournament, again in Nottingham.
Footnote: Marchenko has progressed to the secnd round so far in the main draw.