Some solid training and hitting for the past two weeks saw Greg fit and healthy and raring to play tennis again. But first there was the 10 hour road trip from Melbourne to Adelaide to undertake, where Greg and Rubin stayed overnight with the kind parents of Dave Bidmeade.
Then it was another 3 or so hours north to Port Pirie, where the first Australian Futures tournament of the year was to be played. Not sure why Tennis Australia hosts these tournaments in out of the way places, where the players spend a fortune to get to and stay at, in order to play for a prize-money purse which hardly covers their expense, and in most case leaves them out of pocket.
Thankfully, after about15 years of $15,000 (total amount for all players, singles and doubles) Futures tournaments, the ITF have eventually increased the total amount to $25,000, which will help the lower level players in their endeavours to climb the tennis success ladder.
Greg had made the cut for the singles Main Draw, but was not scheduled to play on the first day. He was entered in the doubles, if a bit hesitantly, not sure if he should, worried about too much tennis whilst still in come-back mode. His partner was 24 year-old Queenslander Stephen De Waard, currently ranked 285 in the doubles, who boasts six Futures doubles titles in the last two years, all with partner Marc Polmans. Ironically Polmans is playing with Greg's mate and previous doubles partner Rubin Statham in this tournament.
Their first round opponemts were fellow Australians 27 year old Scott Puodziunas and 22 year old Calum Puttergill, who were seeded No.4, ranked above Greg and Stephen as Greg currently has no doubles ranking.
The match belied the seedings and it was Greg and Stephen who took a stranglehold in the first set, winning the set 6-3. The second set was a much closer affair, the score getting to 5-5, before Greg and Stephen went ahead, getting the decisive break to win the set 7-5, and the match in straight sets 6-3, 7-5. A good start to the tournament and for that doubles pairing.
Greg was happy with his performance in the match, which gave him some valuable court time before his singles match tomorrow
Then it was another 3 or so hours north to Port Pirie, where the first Australian Futures tournament of the year was to be played. Not sure why Tennis Australia hosts these tournaments in out of the way places, where the players spend a fortune to get to and stay at, in order to play for a prize-money purse which hardly covers their expense, and in most case leaves them out of pocket. Thankfully, after about15 years of $15,000 (total amount for all players, singles and doubles) Futures tournaments, the ITF have eventually increased the total amount to $25,000, which will help the lower level players in their endeavours to climb the tennis success ladder.
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| Partner Stephen De Waard |
Their first round opponemts were fellow Australians 27 year old Scott Puodziunas and 22 year old Calum Puttergill, who were seeded No.4, ranked above Greg and Stephen as Greg currently has no doubles ranking.
The match belied the seedings and it was Greg and Stephen who took a stranglehold in the first set, winning the set 6-3. The second set was a much closer affair, the score getting to 5-5, before Greg and Stephen went ahead, getting the decisive break to win the set 7-5, and the match in straight sets 6-3, 7-5. A good start to the tournament and for that doubles pairing.
Greg was happy with his performance in the match, which gave him some valuable court time before his singles match tomorrow
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