Australia in the Summer 2017 - Launceston #1

Launceston, just two hours from Burnie in Tasmania was the venue for the next Challenger tournament. Greg, seeded 3 in qualifying, was up against hot junior Australian 16 year-old, Matthew Dellavedova, who has already attained an ATP ranking. Greg will have been confident of a win going into the match, except that he had picked up inflammation of the left patella during the previous week, which had not disappeared as he hoped after a days rest.

Junior Matt Dellavedova

Greg put Dellavedova under early pressure but was not able to bring up a break point opportunity and Delladedova held serve. Games went with serve to 3-3, despite Greg serving at well below 50%. Dellavedova was then able break Greg, going up 4-3, then fending off Greg's attempts to fight back, to go 5-3 up. Greg held for 5-4, then took an injury time out to have his left knee taped. He returned more confident in his movement but was unable to prevent Dellavedova from winning the set 6-4. 
After some more treatment during the set break Greg came out with renewed energy and movement, serving four first sets in winning the first service game, then breaking young Dellavedova easily to go 2-0 up. But he was unable to keep up the momentum and Dellavedova hit back, breaking Greg in getting back level at 2-2. Greg battled on, but with his knee not getting better and hindering his movement, he decided that prudence was required, and with the score at 4-3 in Greg's favour, and he retired from the match. 
Greg was naturally disappointed but could see no point in perhaps doing even more harm to his knee, whilst unsure if he could finish the match, or backup the next day and the rest of the week, with the chance of being off for an extended period. The on-site physio backed up his decision, saying he was worried that Greg was going to damage his knee further. He advised Greg to take a week off then test his knee before starting light training. So ends his Tasmanian tour this year.
Greg took himself off on a drive past Wine Glass Bay, then along the coast to Hobart, a city he had never been to despite 10 years or so of playing tournaments on the northern Tasmanian coast. He stayed overnight being a tourists, even visiting the "MONA" Museum, before flying back to Melbourne.

Australia in the Summer 2017 - Burnie #5

A little less than 90 minutes and Greg and Chris were back on court for their second round doubles match, the third match of the day for a tired Chris. They were up against the second seeded pairing of Aussie Jarryd Chaplin and New Zealander Ben Mclachlan. Both 24 years old, and from an American Collegiate tennis background, they have concentrated their efforts on the doubles stage and are both currently ranked just under 190, Ben having won six Futures doubles titles in 2016 and Jarryd having won twice. Greg and Jarryd have known each other since school days, having trained together at Homebush when juniors, and are still good friends. Greg and Chris will need to perform at their best, again in a stiff Bernie "breeze".

NSW's Jarryd Chaplin

Both teams managed to save deciding deuce point in getting the score to 2-2, with Jarryd and Ben just shading their opponents in holding serve. Serving with the old balls in the seventh game, they forced Greg and Oaks to 0-40, and staring down four break-points in the sudden death format, Greg and Oaks were able to save the first two points but were unable to prevent the break, giving up a vital break of serve to trail 3-4. Jarryd and Ben quickly held for 3-5, and shut out their opponents again to hold again at 5-4 to win the set 6-4.

Kiwi Ben Mclachlan

Jarryd and Ben were serving well, and they gave away little in getting the score to 3-3 in the second set. Again on the seventh serve Greg and Oaks came under pressure, giving up a break point opportunity which was seized by their opponents, who went ahead 4-3. They again held easily to lead 5-3 and this time they broke Greg and Oaks again the pouch the second set 6-3 and win the match in straight sets.
Greg was disappointed but said they had played well in difficult conditions, having backed up agaisnt a well established and fresher doubles pairing, with Oaks playing his third match of the day.
On to Launceston for weekend qualifying and next week's tournament.
 

Australia in the Summer 2017 - Burnie #4

After a delay of three days due to the rain, having originally being scheduled to play on Monday, Greg and partner, 22 year-old Australian Chris "Oaks" O'Connell, took to the court for their first round doubles match. Chris would be backing up from his earlier singles match, which he unfortunately lost, and if they won the first round doubles match they would have to play again that evening. Three matches in a day at Pro-Tour level is a tough ask.

Partner Chris O'Connell

Their opponents for this first round clash were fellow Aussies Blake Mott and Maverick Banes, who earlier in the day had played against each other in the QF round of the singles, with Mott the victor. Greg & Oaks were quick out of the blocks, breaking Mott and Banes in the first service game and then going 2-0 up. Mott and Banes hit back, breaks it back to level at 2-2. Greg and Oaks again broke their opponents but again were pegged back, and in the end were grateful to take the set to the tie-break after twice having the advantage in the set.

Maverick Banes

In the breaker it was Mott and Banes who got the early mini-break but Greg and Oaks broke back to change ends at 3-3. They then went ahead 5-3, and had a set point, only to be broken and again change ends level at 6-6. They proceeded to break their opponents again and this time, on their own serve, managed to secure the tie-break 8-6, winning the set 7-6.

Blake Mott

The second set was just as competitive, with both teams struggling to master the gusty wind conditions, and again it was Greg and Oaks who secured the first break of serve. Mott and Banes fought back and in a topsy-turvey set of five service breaks, it was Greg and Oaks who saved more break points, only getting broken twice to their opponents three times, to win the second set 6-3, and run out deserved winners having been ahead on the score board for much of the match. 
A good first up pairing for Greg and Chris the a solid straight sets win, with another match to come.

Australia in the Summer 2017 - Burnie #3

Burnie Tennis Centre

The blustery Burnie wind had built to almost gale force by the time Greg and his opponent, young 20 year old Australian Blake Mott, took to the court in the late afternoon. Mott had taken a short sabbatical from tennis, but having decided that tennis was better than renovating houses, he had returned to the courts and was in good form, surprising everyone by qualifying for the Australian Open main draw. Very similar to compatriot Alex Bolt, amazingly.
Serving first Greg had 40-15 in the first game but Mott pegged him back to deuce and then brought up four break points. Greg was unable to find a first serve but still managed to save three of the break points, but alas Mott won the game, taking an early advantage in the set. He held serve to love and then again brought up break point on Greg's serve, again converting to lead 3-0. Greg took the game to Mott but was unable to break Mott, who led 4-0, and went on to win the remainder of the games to win the first set decisively 6-0.

Australian Blake Mott

Greg readjusted and got his first serve firing, not easy in the extremely blustery conditions, and managed to get on the board at 1-0. Mott was also serving well, at above 70%, and together both players gave up no break-point opportunities in getting to 5-5. Then, despite starting the game with an ace, Greg was forced to face break point by Mott, and was unable to save the point, giving Mott a decisive break to lead 6-5. Greg desperately tried to fight back but a few close line calls went the way of Mott and Mott won the game, to win the second set 7-5 and the match 6-0, 7-5.
Not the best first set for Greg, who struggled to get his big game going in the high wind, and was unlucky not to get to the tie-break in the second set. Greg expressed his frustration with the wind afterwards and was hoping for better conditions for the doubles match scheduled for the next day.
Footnote: Mott continued his winning ways, getting to the final, where he lost to Omar Jasika in straight sets