Australasian Spring - Taiwan #2

 The second round of the $125k Challenger in Kaohsiung, Taiwan threw up a difficult challenge for Greg. Although Greg had beaten a high ranked seeded player in the first round and now faced an unseeded lower ranked player, it was his peer and Australian mate, 24 year-old John-Patrick Smith, a player against which Greg struggles due to his game style, and to whom Greg has lost in his last two encounters. Currently ranked 232, with a high ranking of 210, ex-four time All American college player Smith has an unerringly accurate serve and a never miss non-attacking game which wears his opponents down, especially on a hot and humid 32 degree day.

Leftie JP Smith plays a backhand

Greg started the proceedings and struggled to get his first serve firing, quickly going 15-40 down and facing two break points. He saved one but Smith converted the second opportunity, going up an early break in the set and forcing Greg to play catch up. Greg tried to fight back but Smith was serving too well, at over 75%, and Greg was unable to make any in-roads into his serve. Greg's serve percentage improved and he was able to stay with Smith, games going to 5-4, with Smith serving for the set. His good serving continued and Smith won the game and the set 6-4.Greg's serve percentage continued to improve but unfortunately for him Smith's level did not drop off, and he was hitting his spots, making it difficult for Greg to apply any pressure. At 4-3 up Greg did get Smith to 0-30 but four good first serves saw Smith snuff out that threat and win the game to go 4-4. Both players had not faced a break-point in the set yet, but it was Greg who did so first, as the heat started to take it's toll on the players, forced to defend a break-point at 30-40 in his next service game. He saved that point and brought up a game point but a double fault saw him back to deuce. Smith then brought up another break-point and Greg could not save it, dropping serve to trail 4-5. Smith stepped up to serve out the set, and the match, his first serve still firing, to win the set 6-4 and the match 6-4, 6-4.
A disappointing result for Greg who had played so well beating a seed to get to the second round and had a real chance to go further. He said the hot, humid conditions were stifling and oppressive and he felt it difficult to move. He said he does not recall the middle portions of both sets and was lucky not to suffer from heatstroke, as did Michael Russell and another player Na, who both retired from their matches. Still Greg did earn 10 points, in the never-ending quest for points, to be in a good position to start the season next year.