AO Series 2011 - Update #5

The Australian Open Qualifying tournament commenced at Melbourne Park with Greg needing to win three matches to get into the Main Draw. His first round opponent was wily 30 year old Frenchman Olivier Patience, currently ranked 196 and a high rank of 87 in 2004.
After a long wait for rain delays Greg started an evening match well holding serve to love and then forcing Patience to deuce, to get to 1-1. Greg then could not get his serve firing, hitting consecutive double faults to hand Patience a break of serve. Greg broke back to level at 3-3 but with no first serves in the next game dropped serve again to trail 3-4. Greg was able to match Patience from the back of the court but could not break him and Patience won the 1st set 6-4.

Greg hits a back hand

In the first game of the second set Greg initially was still serving poorly, facing multiple break-points but then started hitting his big serves in, getting back from 15-40 down and then saving further break-points to win the game. Patience was forced to save break points in the next game but levelled the score, games then going with serve to 4-4. Greg then faced a break point but managed to save and go 5-4 up. He upped the pace and had Patience facing 3 break/set points but some good serving saw Patience get back to deuce. A double fault by Patience then saw Greg have another set point. Some luck for Greg saw Patience's 1st serve hit the net and appeared to fall in. The umpire called a let but then the linesman called the serve out and the umpire then said "second serve". Patience did not hear and hit ostensibly his next serve as a 1st serve out. Double fault and Greg's point and the set 6-4. Patience disputed the 2nd serve call but it was quite audibly, even if the "out" call was not correct.

Frenchman Olivier Patience

The 3rd set saw Greg start serving very well, two aces helping to win the first game. He then broke Patience in the 2nd game for a 2-0 lead. A short rain delay ensued, games going to 4-2 and then further aces helped Greg to a 5-2, then a 5-3 lead. Serving for the match, Greg served 5 first serves but some excellent returning by Patience, coupled with a net cord winner and two shanked returns forcing Greg's errors, saw Patience break back and then hold for 5-5. Greg was unfazed and continued playing well, taking the game to Patience. Games went to 6-6, and being a Grand slam with no tie-break in the final set, then to 7-6. Geg then brought up a match point which Patience saved with a good serve, getting to 7-7. With new balls Greg held to 30 against a fired up Patience, both players playing to the max, to go 8-7 up. Greg then fought back getting Patience to 30-40 and another match point for Greg, saw a Patience forehand going wide against an approaching Greg, for Greg to win the match 9-7 in the 3rd set.

 Greg had started off very nervously and poorly but to his credit did not give up and played himself back into form and back into the match for a deserved and creditable win. Greg hit over 60 winners in fashioning the win.

AO Series 2011 - Update #4

The Medibank International qualifying was the next stop for Greg, on his old stomping grounds at Homebush. It was a very high standard in the qualifying with the cut-off being the 153rd ranked player, the top seed ranked 58 and the last seed well below 100 at 79. Needing to win three matches to qualify, Greg was granted a wild card into the event and drew the No.2 ranked Australian player, and good mate Peter Luczak, currently ranked 136, in the 1st round. A tough first up match.

Playing on Centre Court with a 9am start, it was a half-asleep Greg, not used to being up so early, who commenced serving. He started well, holding serve and then forcing Luczak to break-point with some great returns. Luczak was able to save the point and then hold serve for 1-1. Luczak then forced Greg to 15-40 and two break-points. Greg saved the 1st with an ace and then served and volleyed on the 2nd serve to save the next point and get to deuce. Break-points and game points followed but Greg was unable to hold serve and Luczak took a 2-1 lead, serving for 3-1. Greg then slumped to 30-40 after leading 30-0, saved the break-point but again could not close out the game, with Luczak breaking again for a 4-1 lead. Luczak served for 5-1 and then again forced Greg to save break-points at 15-40, which he did this time get to 5-2, but he was unable to stop Luczak serving out the set 6-2. 

Peter Luczak

The 2nd set continued in the same vein, Greg going down 0-30, then serving two aces for 30-30 but then losing the serve to go 1-0 down. Luczak was serving well and held to love for a 2-0 lead. Greg starting making some 1st serves and steadied the ship at 1-2. He then got into the rhythm and returned well, bringing up 3 break-point opportunities at 0-40. Luczak responded and got back to deuce but Greg persisted and broke back, levelling at 2-2, then held serve for a 3-2 lead. Luczak held serve and then broke Greg again to go 4-3 up. Greg hit back against a tightening Luczak and levelled at 4-4. With new balls Greg served for a 5-4 lead and put the pressure on Luczak to hold serve. Greg got a nervous Luczak to 15-40 and was gifted the set when Luczak double-faulted, to win the set 6-4. One set all.

Greg started the 3rd set confidently but only served 1 first serve in the opening game, allowing Luczak to force him to deuce and then break Greg's serve to lead 1-0. Luczak held to love and then attacked Greg's serve, bringing up break-point on the back of only one 1st serve by Greg and converting to take a decisive 3-0 lead. A fired up Luczak now held and then broke Greg again, whipping through the last set for a 6-0 win, winning the match 6-2, 4-6, 6-0.

Greg was bitterly disappointed. He had not served well and had found the Centre Court, which is not used a lot, to be a lot slower and bouncier than the outside courts, which affected his game. He also revealed later that he had not been able to practise serving that week as he had had shoulder trouble during his matches in Brisbane.

Now on to Melbourne for the Australian Open qualifying tournament, starting on Wednesday.

Peter Luczak unfortunately lost the next match to No. 5 seed Lukasz Kubot, ranked 70.

AO Series 2011 - Update #3

The 3rd and final round of qualifying for the Brisbane International presented Greg with a real challenge, up against a player he had never beaten before, fellow Australian 23 year-old Matt Ebden, currently ranked 196, with a high rank of 162 in August 2010. Ebden has a naggingly accurate game, with not a lot of pace and is extremely quick and fit, forcing his opponents to play a lot of balls and forcing them to make errors, rather than him hit winners. He has no great weapon but works the point well and also has the ability to pass a player approaching the net.
Greg started well holding his first three service games but at the same time unable to make any impression on the Ebden serve, not winning a single point on Ebden's serve in getting to 3-3. Ebden then used this pressure to get Greg to 15-40 and have to break point opportunities. Greg saved the first but was not able to prevent Ebden from converting the second to get the break of serve and take a 4-3 lead. Greg eventually managed to win a point on Ebden's serve but Ebden still consolidated for a 5-3 lead. Then when serving for the set at 5-4 Ebden tightened up and Greg was able to capitalise, win a few morepoints and bring up his own opportunity to break back at 30-40. But Ebden responded and closed out that opportunity, going on to win the game and the first set 6-4.
Both players held their opening service games before Ebden forced Greg to 0-40. Greg managed to save the three break-points and get back to deuce but Ebden forced another break point and converted and took a handy 2-1 lead. Greg was unable to make in-roads into Ebden's serve and Ebden held for a 3-1 lead. On Greg's next service game he again was forced to 0-40 and again saved the three break-points before history repeated itself and Ebden broke again for a 4-1, double break lead. Ebden served for 5-1 and then again broke a struggling Greg to close out the set 6-1, and win the match convincingly 6-3, 6-1 and advance to the main draw of the tournament at Greg's expense.
A disappointing end to a promising qualifying tournament for Greg. He was not happy with his performance although he had served well. Ebden had returned well and had won the majority of the longer rallies, and had held his service games well.

AO Series 2011 - Update #2

The second round of qualifying in the Brisbane International saw Greg up against another German, this time it was 27 year old Bastian Knittel, currently ranked 220, with a high rank recently achieved of 208.

Serving first it was a slow start for Greg but he managed to hold his first game when only serving two 1st serves. At 2-1 Greg broke Knittel's serve when he was serving at almost 100%, to lead 3-1. Knittel broke back immediately, then held serve to level the score at 3-3. Greg regrouped and held, then broke Knittel again to lead 5-3. Greg stepped up and served out the set 6-3.

The Brisbane Tennis Centre

Knittel served first in the 2nd set and immediatley had to save a break point against Greg to go 1-0 up. From then both players held their serves well, games going on serve to 6-5, Knittel leading. Greg had to serve to save the set and started well to get to 40-0 on the back of two first serves. He then saw Knittel get to 40-30 before closing the game off to go to the tie-break at 6-6.

Knittel held for 1-0, then won one of Greg's serves to go 2-1 up. Greg hit back to level at 2-2. They changed ends at 3-3 and then Greg took the lead on serve at 4-3. He won another of Knittel's serves to go 5-3 up, and then served for the set at 5-4. Knittel broke back to level at 5-5 but Greg held his nerve and next serve to go 6-5 up, with a match point, but on Knittel's serve. Greg won the next point, winning the tie-break 7-5 and a close fought match 6-3, 7-6(5).

Two down and one match to go in qualifying. Greg plays his final qualifying match tomorrow.

AO Series 2011 - Update #1

Australian Open Series

After two weeks intensive training and hitting at Melbourne Park with Tennis Australia's fitness coach Yukada and coach James Trottman, with only Christmas Day off, Greg departed for Brisbane to compete in the Qualifying for the Brisbane International, courtsey of a wild card from Tennis Australia.

It was not the best of draws for Greg as he drew the No. 4 seed, the experienced 29 year-old German Simon Greul, currently ranked 130 but bragging a high ranking of 55 in 2010, so in good form.

Serving first Greg held serve and then forced Greul to 15-40, and converted the 2nd break-point to take an early lead, confidently holding serve again to take an early lead at 3-0. Greul held and then forced Greg to save a break-point, which Greg did with a timely ace, games going to 5-3 with serves. With Greg serving for the set, Greul upped his game and broke Greg to love, then serving to hold to love, winning 11 points in a row to get level at 5-5. Greg steadied and held for 6-5, Greul also holding to take the set to the tie-break at 6-6.

In the tie-break, Greg's served and returned at his best, with each of his 5 serves aces, breaking Greul twice to dominate the tie-break and win it 7-2, and the first set 7-6.
In the second set, with Greul serving first, at 1-1 in games, Greg brought up a break-point and duly converted to take a 2-1 lead. He served confident to consolidate at 3-1, then 4-2 up. He then again broke Greul, after Greul saved the first break-point, to go a double break up at 5-2. With Greg serving for the match Greul fought back and brought up two break-points. Greg saved the first break point with an ace, then saved the second to get to deuce. Greul was not to be denied and with Greg missing his first serves broke Greg to get one break back, at 5-3. Greg responded and immediately had Greul in trouble, getting him to 15-40 down and bringing up two match points, converting to win the 2nd set 6-3 and the match 7-6(2), 6-3.
A great character building match for Greg, which saw him start well, weather the storm mid-match and then dominate the tie-break and 2nd set to record a solid win over a higher ranked opponent.
Greg plays his 2nd round match on Sunday, having to wn another two match to qualify for the Brisbane International main draw.

The year that was... 2010

2010 was a very mixed bag for Greg in Tennis. He started the year well, with a first round win in the Men's Doubles in the Australian Open, followed by a finals showing in the Burnie Challenger and then again in the Berri Futures tournament. Playing the Challenger circuit in the USA, Mexico and Ecuador Greg achieved a singles ranking high of 179 in the first half of the year. He then showed much promise in both the Wimbledon and US Open qualifying by winning his first round at each tournament, beating the No.2 seed at Flushing Meadows.
Greg then had a minor setback with the unfortunate accident between two taxis in New York, which left him with badly bruised knees and unable to play or train for four weeks, forcing him to miss three tournaments and affect his fitness. He bounced back to reach the final of the Men's Singles at the Commonwealth Games, representing Australia and earning a silver medal for his efforts.
Unfortunately he sustained an achilles injury in that match which further impaired his ability to train and get fit. The lack of tournament play and fitness saw his ranking begin to slide, with Greg finishing the year at a lower rank, at 261, than which he started the year, despite having an excellent year of tennis.

Here's to Greg bouncing right back in 2011 and being incident free and fully fit for the whole year.

AO Wildcard Play-off - Update #2

Quarter-final of the AO Wild Card play-off had Greg matched up against the No.2 seed Marinko Matosevic, currently ranked 138 in the ATP. Greg was confident going into the match having lost narrowly to Matosevic in their last encounter and now fitter, having 'touched' Marinko up in a practise match earlier the week.
In the first set, with Matosevic serving first, both player's started strongly and Greg had a few half chances but could not convert them into real opportunities, games going with serve to 2-3. Marinko was starting to pick Greg's serve and forced Greg to break-point but Greg saved the point and levelled at 3-3. Again at 3-4 down Greg faced and saved break-point, getting to 4-4. Marinko held for 5-4 and then applied even more pressure on Greg, bringing up another break-point, this time set point. Greg saved one point but a weak forehand on game-point let Matosevic back in and he forced Greg to face another break-point. Unable to buy a first serve a long rally ensued and a back-hand nto the net saw Matosevic break and win the set 6-4.
Greg then had an injury time-out, rare for Greg, so obviously something was wrong. The callous below his right toe had stripped off and exposed the raw flesh below the toe. The physio repaired the damage as best he could and Greg came out firing. The break in play had cooled off a red hot Matosevic who then missed a few serves and with some good returns by Greg saw him have 3 break-point opportunities. Matosevic responded and three good first serves later the threat was nullified and he held for a 1-0 lead. Games went with serve to 2-2, with Greg saving two break-points along the way. In his next service game, at 2-3 down, he got to 40-15 and had a smash to close out the game but Matosevic guessed correctly and put in a miraculous lob to win the point. He then got to deuce and forced 3 set points. Greg saved 2 of them but could not save the 3rd and Matosevic had a decisive break, leading 4-2. He held comfortably for 5-2 and then forced Greg to match-point, converting at the 1st opportunity to win the match 6-4, 6-2.


Marinko wins WC play-off



Greg was bitterly disappointed and was annoyed by the injury, which he said happened in the 3rd game and slowed him down slightly. Matosevic had played and served well.

Greg will now have to get into the main draw of the Australian Open through the qualifying tournament.

AO Wildcard Play-off - Update #1

After a week training and hitting at Melbourne Park it was down to the serious business of the Australian Open Wild Card Play-off, where the winner of the event receives direct entry into the main draw of the 2011 Australian Open. In knockout format for the first time Greg was seeded 7 and had a bye in the 24 man draw. 

AO Wild Card Players at Draw

His second round opponent was rising star and recent Australian AIS recruit Sean Berman. Born in South Africa but currently listed as USA and having come from New Zealand, Berman now calls Australia home. The seventeen year-old was a finalist at the Australian Open Junior Boys Single in 2010 and last week won the 18s National single title. Ranked 864 in the ATP Berman is definitely a young player of which to be wary. They took to the court at 6pm after waiting all day for the previous match to finish after some atrocious weather and it was still cold and windy when Greg started serving. Berman was quick out of the blocks and returned well, getting Greg to 30-all and then immediately bringing up a break-point.

Greg with Adam Feeney at Draw

Greg countered with an ace to save and then held for 1-0. Greg then attacked the weaker serve of Berman and broke Berman to love to take a 2-0 lead. Greg then quickly reeled off another 3 games, breaking Berman again to go to 5-0. He held three set point at 0-40 but a combination of a lack of concentration by Greg and good play by Berman saw Berman fight back to deuce and then hold for 5-1. Greg was forced to serve for the set which he did.

Sean Berman

In the 2nd set Berman started making a few more balls and getting into longer rallies, getting more aggressive and started to hold serve more easily. Greg countered but went too aggressively and missed a few more shots. Games went with serve to 3-3. Greg recognised that a rhythm was developing and Berman was slowly growing in confidence so decided to be less aggressive but more accurate, attacking Berman's 1st serves and catching him with some good returns. He succeeded in getting Berman to 0-30, then 0-40, breaking Berman on the 3rd break point to get a break up at 4-3. Greg held for 5-3, then failed to pressurise Berman with two serve return errors, for Berman to hold for 5-4 and force Greg to serve for the match.

Greg duly served out the set 6-4, winning the match 6-1, 6-4 to advance to the second round, t be played tomorrow.