Back in Oz - Australia Futures 8 #1

Greg's return from Los Angeles to be the bestman at the wedding of great mates Ryan Bellamy and Monique Lynch, both former Pro-tour players and now owner-managers of the Sylvania Waters Tennis Centre in southern Sydney, was a traumatic affair. Greg mislaid his passport and after frantically searching all over for it, re-tracking his footsteps to banks and shops, Guys apartment and Carsten's apartment, he was forced to delay his flight back to Sydney for a day. Whether he made the flight depended on the passport being at the "shady"money-changing facility at which he was forced to cash his winnings cheque, because the regular bank which the tournament used had shut by the time his match was finished and he got paid. Greg sweated all night but a call to the facility revealed that he had left it at the bank, or rather, they had neglected to give it back to him and he was able to collect the passport and catch the flight, in time, to get back to Sydney for the wedding.
Greg's good mate Joel Linder from Brisbane flew down to Sydney and they went off to Tamora in central NSW for the wedding. The wedding went off well, with church readings by Joel and the bestman's duties and speech competently executed by both. The occasion was also a mini-reunion for Ryan, Monique, Greg, Joel, Kara Knight and Joel Andriolo and a good time was had by all, with a beautifully decorated hall, great music, master-chef like food, much fun and typical Australian country hospitality. Much thanks to the Lynch family, especially Gary and Kim.
After the wedding Greg spent the next week training at Homebush in Sydney and doing more rehab on his shoulder and back before heading to Toowoomba for his next tournament, a $15k Futures tournament on hard court.
His first round opponent was local Australian 24 year-old Scott Puodziunas, currently unranked, with a high rank of 1176. Greg was quick off the mark, breaking Puodziunas to 30, then holding serve to love to lead 2-0. Greg broke Puodziunas twice more in getting to 5-0, and then the rain poured down. The match was closer then the score suggested, with a few deuce games but Greg was able to dictate, bringing up break-points and eventually converting to dominate the score-line. The shower passed and on resumption Greg served out the set 6-0.

Scott Puodziunas

He then set about breaking Puodziunas again in the second set, converting break-point again and serving to go 2-0 up in a repeat of the 1st set. Greg then again forced Puodziunas to deuce but the rain came again and the match was suspended until the next day.
The following day presented windy, overcast conditions which made play a lot more difficult, especially the serve. Greg again got off to a good start and broke Puodziunas and then held serve to go 4-0 up. In control, in the difficult conditions, Greg was then content to go with serve to the end of the set, winning the match 6-0, 6-2.
A good match for Greg in his return to competition in Australia, with no complaints from his body. No doubt sterner tests await.