The final round of qualifying in Shanghai saw Greg, the No.3 seed, up against 24 year-old Indian Sanam Singh. Ex University of Virginia player Singh, who became only the second player from that university to be ranked No.1 in USA Collegiate tennis, has risen from a ranking of 1,150 to his current high ranking of 402 in just under a year, having recently won two back-to-back Futures titles. A stern test for Greg in his quest to qualify for the main draw and regain his confidence and get match winning back on track.
Greg started confidently, getting to 1-0 quickly and then forcing Singh to face a break point opportunity in his first service game. A good first serve from Singh denied Greg that opportunity and he held serve for 1-1. He then reversed the pressure on Greg and had Greg facing double break point in the next game. Greg saved the first but could not save the second point, losing his serve to trail Singh 1-2. Singh consolidated the break and then again had Greg in trouble at 30-40. Greg saved that point and then another break-point, battling hard to hold serve and get to 2-3. But he could not make any in-roads on Singh's serve and, at 2-4 was again forced to break-point at 15-40, this time Singh converting the first opportunity, taking a stranglehold on the set with a double break at 2-5. Singh then quickly had three set points, Greg saving one of those but unable to stop Singh winning the first set 6-2.
Both players started the the second set strongly but, at 1-1, despite Greg serving 10 first serves in a row, Singh was returning well and he broke Greg to lead the second set 2-1. Greg fought back, getting Singh to 0-30 but could not prevent Singh from holding serve, to consolidate his break at 3-1. Greg held well and then had Singh facing two break-points, for an opportunity to break-back and level the score, but Singh served two good first serves and snuffed out that opportunity, to get to 4-2 up. Although serving a high percentage of first serves, Singh again had Greg facing break point but this time Greg held firm and denied Singh the break, to get to 3-4. Singh held to lead 5-3 and then again had Greg facing a match point at 30-40. Greg held nis nerve, saved the point and, fighting hard for every point, held serve to force Singh to serve out the match at 4-5. On the back of three big serves Singh brought up two match points and then served out the set, winning the second set 6-4 and the match 6-2, 6-4, denying Greg a place in the main draw.
Greg had served well, at 59% for the match, but Singh had returned well, winning a good percentage of those points, and had matched Greg in the serving department. Greg had not been able to convert his break-point opportunities, whilst Singh had, perhaps having more of the luck on the day.
And so back to the practise courts for Greg until next week, where this time he is in the main draw of the Challenger tournament in Pingou, China.
Greg started confidently, getting to 1-0 quickly and then forcing Singh to face a break point opportunity in his first service game. A good first serve from Singh denied Greg that opportunity and he held serve for 1-1. He then reversed the pressure on Greg and had Greg facing double break point in the next game. Greg saved the first but could not save the second point, losing his serve to trail Singh 1-2. Singh consolidated the break and then again had Greg in trouble at 30-40. Greg saved that point and then another break-point, battling hard to hold serve and get to 2-3. But he could not make any in-roads on Singh's serve and, at 2-4 was again forced to break-point at 15-40, this time Singh converting the first opportunity, taking a stranglehold on the set with a double break at 2-5. Singh then quickly had three set points, Greg saving one of those but unable to stop Singh winning the first set 6-2.
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| Sanam Singh |
Greg had served well, at 59% for the match, but Singh had returned well, winning a good percentage of those points, and had matched Greg in the serving department. Greg had not been able to convert his break-point opportunities, whilst Singh had, perhaps having more of the luck on the day.
And so back to the practise courts for Greg until next week, where this time he is in the main draw of the Challenger tournament in Pingou, China.
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