Autumn in the States 2017 #6

 It was off to Fairfield this weekend for the qualifying for the next Challenger tournament. Greg's first round opponent was 22 year-old Mexican Lucas Gomez, currently ranked 904, with a high ranking of 463 achieved in April 2016. After a run of losses Greg will be keen to perform well and hopefully get another win under his belt.



Fairfield Rancho Salerno centre

Both players showed sign of nerves at the start, Greg dropping his first service games to give Gomez an immediate advantage, only for Greg to immediately break back to level the score at 1-1. They both then settled down and games went with serve to 3-3. Greg was serving erratically with numerous aces, countered by double faults, and Gomez forced Greg to break point, only to have Greg serve another ace to deny Gomez the break, then wrapped up the game with another ace. Crisis averted, games went with serve to the tie-break at 6-6. Greg served well in the tie-break, whilst Gomez struggled to find his first serve and it was Greg who took the advantage at 3-2 up, breaking Gomez twice to go to a 5-2 lead, then serve out the tie-break 7-2, to pouch the first set 7-6.


Mexican Lucas Gomez

Greg was quick out of the blocks in the second set, breaking Gomez first game. But in a mirror of the first set, this time it was Gomez who fought back to break back and level at 1-1. Greg rallied and had Gomez at 0-40, but Gomez denied him all three break point opportunities with three good first serves to go 2-1 up. At 3-2 up Gomez broke Greg to lead 4-2, then ran away with the set, holding serve and then breaking Greg again, to win the set 6-2, and take the match into the third set.Gomez now had the momentum, despite Greg serving 19 aces, but with 10 double faults, and Greg had battle on his hands. But Greg was not going away. He immediately forced Gomez to save a break-point in the first set to get to 1-0. Greg and Gomez then held serve comfortably, games going to 4-3 with no further break point opportunities or deuces. Greg then lost the first two points of his serve to trail 0-30, but rallied to pull back, winning the game with another ace, to get to 4-4. He then upped the pressure on Gomez, forcing Gomez to 0-40, and converting the first break-point opportunity to take a critical 5-4 lead, and serve for the match. He did so to love, winning the last 12 points of the set, to win the match 7-6(2), 2-6, 6-4.
Greg said it took him the first set to adjust to the quick pace of the Fairfield courts, then played a good tie-break. He should have put away the match at the start of the second set, but played patchily for the set. He slowly got back into the groove at the start of the third set, and finished very strongly at the end. It was good to win a close match and his body felt great after the match. Hopefully he can replicate that good finish in the second round match.