Away in Asia - Autumn 2016 #5

An-ning skyline

After a horrid few days in Nanjing, China, struggling with nausea and worse, Greg slowly returned to eating solid foods, recovered his strength and returned to training and hitting. He had luckily been able to obtain some medicine, initially from Canadian player Filip Peliwo, then from a Chinese medical centre through the help of the tournament director and a Chinese interpreter, which had helped him recover quicker. Then it was off to An-ning for the next Challenger tournament. Here the accommodation was much improved on that of Nanjing. Greg had likened the accommodation and condition as dormitory like in Nanjing but in An-ning the tennis was played a hotel resort complex and the players were in staying in the Gloria Hot Springs Resort with hotel accommodation, swimming pools, hot spas and much improved food on offer.

The Gloria Hot Springs Resort

As in the previous two tournaments the entry list dropped dramatically and Greg was able to make the cut for the qualifying, to even be seeded No. 5. Just out of the top four seeding, so he will have to beat a higher seed to qualify.

His opponent for the first round of qualifying was young local player, 18 year-old Hantao Liu, not yet ranked in the ATP.

In the opening game Greg forced Liu to deuce, then break-point and converted to take an early advantage. He then held serve to deuce, then repeated the dose, breaking Liu and holding, to race to a 4-0 lead. Liu held serve but was not able to win much on Greg's serve, and Greg served out the first set 6-2.

Confident and in the zone, Greg was in no mood to give Liu a sniff at fighting back. Greg broke Liu in the first game again, then dominated the set, allowing Liu to win only five points in the set, holding serve easily and breaking Liu twice more to run away with the set 6-0, and win the match 6-2, 6-0.

Greg, said that although Liu had not provided much opposition, he had played well, getting some valuable match time, getting more used to the conditions and building some confidence. He quickly returned to the courts for another 40 minutes practise session, working on his ground strokes and preparing for the next match, to be played the next day.