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.