USA Autumn in the 2012 #5

The second round of the Sacramento Challenger saw Greg face up against an unseeded player, having beaten a seeded player in the first round. His opponent was another USA player, this time 22 year-old Stanford graduate Bradley Klahn, who is playing the tour full-time this year and brags a first round win at the USA Open recently over former top 10 player Jurgen Melzer, still ranked in the top 50. At a ranking high of 346, and obviously on the rise, Klahn won that match in 5 sets, so is obviously very fit and able to go the distance against Greg.

Sacramento bridge view

Greg took the game to Klahn in the first set and was able to convert one of the five break-point opportunities he created, whilst winning a high percentage of his first serves and not facing any break points himself, taking the score to 5-3. He stepped up and served out the set to win it 6-3.
But Klahn was not done, turning the momentum around and starting to pick off Greg's serves and force him to face multiple break-point opportunites, breaking Greg to go a break-up. Greg fought back to break Klahn and level the score in the 2nd set getting to 4-4. Klan then held serve to lead 5-4 and forced Greg to  hold his serve. Under immense pressure Greg went down 30-40 and on the 7th break-point of the set Klahn again broke Greg to pouch the second set 6-4 and tie the match up at one set all. 

Bradley Klahn at the US Open

With Klahn having the advantage of serving first in the 3rd set, he held serve and then turned the pressure on Greg, breaking Greg to go ahead 3-1 and then hold serve for a 4-1 lead. Greg needed to consolidate but was not able to. Klahn with the bit between his teeth, forced Greg to face only the 2nd break-point of the set and converted again, to lead 5-1. Greg was serving well but Klahn returning even better. Klahn stepped up to serve out the set but Greg had other ideas and now swinging freely with Klahn tightening up at the end of the match, forced Klahn to 15-40 and won the point to get one break back at 2-5. Greg held serve for 3-5 and then got Klahn, again serving for the match, to deuce. Three deuces ensued but Greg could not get that elusive second break-point opportunity and Klahn prevailed, winning the third set 6-3 and the match 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 to bundle Greg out of the tournament.
Greg had served well and was happy with his game but could not stop the tide from turning once Klahn had adjusted to his game. Greg will now travel to Tiburon, in the north part of San Fransisco for the next Challenger Tournament, where he has to contest the qualifying rounds once again.