Australian Autumn 2017 - Canberra #6

Following his win in the first round match on Thursday Greg had to back up to play his second round match, up against the No.1 seed, 26 year-old Spanish clay court grinder Jordi Samper-Montana, ranked 217, whose brother plays professional soccer in Spain, having played for FC Barcelona at one stage. It was a long wait for them to get on court, as rain delayed the match prior to their match. Greg said it is always hard to judge when to get prepared when waiting in rain delays. Then suddenly the rain stopped and before they knew it, they were on court, as in the match before them four games were won in a row to quickly wrap-up that match.

Greg took to court still slightly stiff and still feeling the effects of his previous match. Samper-Montana was fresh and quickly off the match while Greg was still a bit sluggish. A double fault by Greg presented a breakpoint opportunity to Samper-Montana, who gratefully converted to break Greg  in the first game. Greg got going but could not break back immediately, to trail 1-3. He then saw himself staring at 0-40 and three break points, but in the light drizzly condition he managed to get back to deuce and then hold serve to get to 2-3. Then the heavens opened again and once again they were chased off court for the day.

Friday arrived with only slightly better weather, and they continued the match with Samper-Montana serving to consolidate the break, going to 4-2 up. Greg could make no further inroads into Samper-Montana'a serve and the Spaniard served out the first set 6-4.



Spaniard Jordi Samper-Montana

Greg started the second set much better than the first, dropping only 1 point in getting to 2-1.  Greg said Samper-Montana was typically playing very deep in the court and Greg was now dictating play coming forward, playing drop shots and short volleys which were catching the Spaniard too far back. At 2-1 Greg then forced Samper-Montana to deuce, then break-point, breaking serve to lead 3-1. Inexplicably, Samper-Montana then won nine points in a row, to break Greg to love, then hold to love to get back even at 3-3. Greg steadied and on the back of two aces held serve. He then had Samper-Montana at 0-40, for a chance to break and serve for the set. 

However on that last point, whilst going out wide to return and then changing direction and pushing forward to get to the net, he felt a twinge in his groin and feared for the worst. He was unable to move properly and Samper-Montana reeled off five points in a row to save the break and level at 4-3. Greg then sought medical atttention from the physio and took a medical time out to have his injured groin assessed and then treated. Fortunately it was not too serious, but Greg was then wary of stressing the groin more. He returned to court but Samper-Montana took advantage of his uncertain movement, breaking Greg to lead 5-4 and serve for the set. But Greg was not done, playing some inspired tennis to keep the points short and got the Spaniard to 15-40 and have two break opportunities. He was unable to convert and Samper-Montana recovered to serve out the set 6-4 and win the match 6-4, 6-4. 

Greg was disappointed, as he was playing well but did not have the luck to take advantage of the opportunities he created. It was a frustrating rain interrupted week of stop-start tennis, played in tricky conditions on slippery courts, not conducive to great tennis. He will have a couple of weeks to shake off any potential injuries to his groin and knees, after his fall earlier in the week, and train for his next tournament. 

Australian Autumn 2017 - Canberra #5

The clay courts at Lyneham

In Canberra for the second of the two Futures tournaments, after a short break, all eyes were gazing skywards as the clouds built up. Greg was due to play his doubles first round match on Monday, partnering Rubin Statham, but the scheduled singles matches did not even get finished as rain stopped play for the day. The next day was not much better but they managed to get a few more singles matches finished, and Greg was up to play his singles first round before any doubles was contemplated. His first round opponent was young 18 year old Michael Commings, who was having a good week after qualifying, winning three matches over the weekend. As yet not ranked in the ATP, Commings will be giving it his best shot to overcome Greg and secure that coveted first ATP singles ranking point.

Michael Commings at an earlier age

With Greg serving first, games progressed on serve to 3-2. Then at 30-0 on Commings' serve, the rain came down again and after a lengthy delay, play was abandoned for the Tuesday.
On Wednesday more rain was forecast, and the start of play was delayed for a short time but eventually all was dry for play to commence, with young Commings serving at 2-3, 30-0. Greg was straight into some good play, getting Commings to deuce, saving three game points before bringing up a break point opportunity, and converting immediately to break Commings and lead 4-2. He served well to consolidate the break, at 5-2. Commings steadied to get to 5-3. Then Greg hit a purple patch, winning the next 18 poinsvto win the next game to love and the second set 6-3. He then  broke Commings to love in the first game of the second set, held serve to love, then broke Commings to love again, to lead 3-0, 30-0.
Greg went a double break 4-0 up, and from there was in cruise control, breaking Commings a third time at the end, winning the second set 6-1 and the match 6-3, 6-1.
Greg was supposed to play a few matches later in his first round doubles but unfortunately Rubin was forced to withdraw, not in good shape after a first round loss in the singles. So then they scheduled Greg for another singles match, due to the backlog of matches caused by the rain. But that's tomorrow's story, as the second round singles match was yet again interrupted and then postponed due to more rain.
So on to tomorrow, praying for some good weather. 

Australian Autumn 2017 - Canberra #4

On another windless day, unusual for Canberra, Greg was up against the No.3 seed in the quarterfinals of the Futures tournament. His opponent, fellow Kooyong tennis player teenager Omar  Jasika, was a late entrant in the tournament and had to go through qualifying to play in the Main Draw. The 19 year old has an impressive ATP ranking of 252, and got the better of Greg in the only match they have played,  in straight sets in the Challenger tournament in Canberra last October, but on hard court.
Greg got off to a flyer again, holding serve then forcing Jasika to 0-40 in the second game, but Jasika played too well to deny Greg the break and get back to deuce. Greg created two more break opportunities in that game but Jasika denied him again, to level at 1-1. At 2-2, in a long deuce game, Greg faced a breakpoint but a well timed ace saw him escape the break and go 3-2 up on serve. Then at 4-4, Jasika had Greg facing another break point and this time converted the opportunity to go ahead 5-4 and serve for the set. Greg fought back and forced Jasika to 15-40 but again good play from Jasika denied Greg the break-back opportunity, and he went on to win the first set 6-4.

Omar Jasika lines up a forehand

A frustrated Greg, who had seven break opportunities to the two against him in the first set, and had still lost the set, did not start the second set well, being broken to love to trail a break down at 0-1. From 5-4. 0-15 with two break points against him in the first set, Jasika had a purple patch of high class tennis, winning 13 points in a row, to win the first set, then broke Greg to love, held seeve to love, to go 2-0 up in the second set, then win the first point of Greg's next serve.
Greg steadied the ship to hold serve to get to 1-2 but the damage was down. Both players then dominated on serve, and try as he may, Greg could not make in-roads on Jasika's serve, and games went with serve for the remainder of the set, with Jasika serving out the set 6-4, to win a close fought, high intensity, good quality match 6-4, 6-4.
Greg was naturally disappointed but said they had both played a high level of tennis and he was pleased with his performance, but rueing the opportunities he was denied, albeit due to Jasika's good play rather than any errors Greg had made.
Greg will stay in Canberra for the second of the two Futures tournaments to be played next week.

Australian Autumn 2017 - Canberra #3

On a surprising windless day in Canberra Greg was up against big serving Victorian  Dayne Kelly. 26 year old Kelly, currently ranked 369, has a 2-1 win record against Greg, having won their last two encounters last year, and is in good form having won the Futures title on grass last week in Mildura.
Serving first Greg was quick off the mark, breaking Kelly and going to a 3-0 lead. Kelly then held to love but Greg was serving well and had no trouble in serving out the rest of the set, to win it 6-3.

Greg serving for the "pot of Gold"

He then had a frustrated Kelly facing break points at 15-40 in the first game of the second set but Kelly responded and a few big serves saw him get out of trouble. Then at 3-2 Kelly had Greg in trouble at 0-40, breaking Greg on the second opportunity to lead 4-2. He consolidated to go 5-2 up, forcing Greg to serve to stay in the set. Greg saved two break points to get back to deuce but Kelly applied the pressure, bringing up another set point in Greg's serve, this time converting to win the set 6-2. One set all.
Greg was not done though, and at 1-1 in the third set he broke Kelly to take the advantage and lead 2-1. Kelly hit back, forcing Greg to 15-40 but Greg was serving well, getting back to deuce then holding serve to lead 3-1. He broke an agitated Kelly again to go 4-1 up. Greg was playing with confidence now and two love service games later closed out the match, winning the third set 6-2, for a 6-3, 2-6, 6-2 win, to advance to the quarterfinals.
Greg said he had served and played well, and was pleased with the win. He had managed to shake off the effects of his fall yesterday, and although his knees showed signs of bruising, he was able to play through some early stiffness and moved better and better throughout the match.

Australian Autumn 2017 - Canberra #2

After a good hit-out in the doubles but a disappointing loss, it was singles next for Greg in the first of two Futures tournaments in Canberra. He had avoided a seed in the first round, up against 22 year old Queenslander Thomas Fancutt, with a family back ground in tennis, currently ranked 679 in singles.
In 30 knot wind, gusting to over 40 knots, and with Fancutt serving first, Greg got off to a great start, breaking Fancutt twice to go a double break up at 3-0. Seemingly in control Greg then only won one more game in the set against a resurgent Fancutt, dropping serve three times to go from 3-0 to 3-1, then 3-3, before steading to level at 4-4, but then dropping serve again to lose the set 6-4.
Greg knuckled down in the second set and held serve early on to get to 2-2, then he broke Fancutt to go a break up, serving a love game to consolidate the break at 4-2. He maintained the ascendency, serving out the set 6-4, levelling the match at one set all.

Thomas Fancutt, pictures here on
grass at Mildura

Serving first again, in the third set, Fancutt held serve to lead 1-0. Then chasing a wide ball Greg's one foot stuck in the clay whilst the other slid, causing Greg to go down hard on the court surface, banging the inside of both knees in an ungainly fall. Greg thought he had torn a ligament or torn a muscle and it was a few seconds before he gingerly got to his feet. The umpire called for the physio and Greg took a medical time-out delay while she assessed him to see if he was injured. Luckily it appeared as if he was just a bit bruised and there was no injury.
When play resumed, Greg was a bit wary of moving too much and Fancutt capitalised and managed to break Greg to lead 2-0. Despite Fancutt serving three aces in the next game Greg played more aggressively, trying to keep the points shirt. He fought back and broke Fancutt, to get to 1-2, only to be broken again in the next game to again trail by a break at 1-3. Then Fancutt gifted Greg another opportunity to break back by serving two double faults in the next game, and Greg seized the opportunity to get back and level at 3-3. With the momentum now his way Greg broke Fancutt again to lead 5-3. Fancutt held serve to force Greg to serve for the match at 5-4 but Greg was up to the task, winning the set 6-4, coming from a set down to win the match 4-6, 6-4, 6-4.
Another blustery Canberra day, on the clay, with a mixed performance but a good first up win.

Australian Autumn 2017 - Canberra #1

After almost a month of recuperation and training to get match fit again, whilst getting the requisite hitting, Greg decided his knee injury was healed enough and it was time to hit the pro-circuit again. The qvenue was the clay courts at Lyneham Tennis Centre in Canberra.
It was doubles first for Greg, and Kiwi partner Rubin Statham, up against the No. 4 seeds, Queenslanders Maverick Banes and Gavin van Peperzeel.

Maverick Banes

In a close fought match Greg and Rubin were unable to take the few sudden death chances they created and were then broken to go behind at 4-2. Two live games later they were back level at 4-4. Games went with serve to 6-6, and similarly both team held severe in the tie-break to get to 5-6, where Greg and Rubin saved set point. They were unable to capitalise on a set point at 7-6 and then were the first to blink, dropping serve to lose the tie-break 10-8.


Gavin van Peperzeel

The second set followed the same pattern at the start, Greg and Rubin unable to take two sudden death deuce service break opportunities, then finding themselves a break down. This set they were unable to recover the deficit and were broken again at the death, to lose the match 7-6(8), 6-2.An inauspicious start to his return but his body and knee responded well, coming through the match unscathed. Singles tomorrow.