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.
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.
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.
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.
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| Ukranian Ilya Marchenko |
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.
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