USA in the Autumn 2016 - Fairfield #1

And so onto the next Challenger, this week in Fairfield, San Fransisco, for the first round of qualifying. Greg's opponent was 22 year-old American College player Connor Farren, with a ranking of 1068.
In a strange start to the match, Greg had a great start, breaking Farren in the first game and then, despite serving four first serves, Greg dropped his serve to love. The players then swapped breaks of serve again to get to 4-4. Greg said later that the backdrop to the courts, which are supposed to provide a sight screen to enable the ball to be seen better, were covered entirely with advertising material and both players were having trouble picking up the ball and took awhile to adjust. Greg was also struggling with a racquet which had not been strung to the correct tension - it was too loose, and it took him awhile to realise the problem. At 3-4 down he changed to a racquet strung the previous week and immediately noticed the difference.

A young Farren at Wimbledon Juniors
in 2012

Farren and Greg both held serve to go to 5-5, then Greg forced Farren to 15-40 and the opportunity of two set points. Farren responded, serving a miraculous second serve ace to get to deuce and then save the game to go 6-5 up. Greg served out his game to love to take the set to the tie-break. Farren got the early advantage, breaking Greg to go 2-0, then 3-1 up. Greg pegged him back, breaking to change ends at 3-3. At 6-5 up, but on Farren's serve, Greg had his third set point but Farren saved to get to 6-6. Then after changing ends, Greg broke Farren to bring up his fourth set point at 7-6, the first on his serve, and converted to pouch the tie-break 8-6, and win the set 7-6.
Serving first, and playing much better with a racquet that had been re-strung for him, Greg then held serve to love twice, to get to 2-1 up. He then broke Farren at 15-40 to go 3-1 up, then held for 4-1. At 5-2 up Greg brought up match point on Farren's serve but again Farren saved and won the game, forcing Greg to serve for the match at 5-3. Playing with confidence now, having only lost three points on his serve in the second set, Greg served out the game to love, winning the set 6-3 and the match 7-6(6), 6-3.
A tentative first set for Greg, which could have gone either way, but once he got his game and equipment in order a solid second set and good result for Greg, who along with house-mate Dennis Nevolo, was looking to get his racquets strung elsewhere in time for the second round qualifying match tomorrow.