Oz Summer 2012-13 #20

Greg was playing on the last day of the Westlakes Tournament, which meant that he was in a final, which has been a long time coming, even if it was the doubles final. Greg and James faced up against fellow Aussies Sam Groth and Matt Reid. Ironically Greg, Sam and Matt had been housing together in housing in Adelaide for the week and now faced each other across the net again, having played against each just last week in the first round in Burnie, Sam and Matt victors then.
Both teams were unseeded and there was little to pick between the teams, all players having big games and big serves, with Sam the leader in that department. James led the proceedings off, serving first and quickly had three game points at 40-15 (in the sudden death decue format), but they were unable to convert and at deuce Groth and Reid seized their opportunity and broke serve, to lead 1-0.

Big serving Sam Groth

Groth held serve, consolidating the break, and games went with serve to 4-2. A shanked return lob winner saw Groth and Reid force Greg to deuce on his serve again broke at deuce to lead 5-2. With Reid serving for the set Greg and James returned well to get Groth and Reid to 0-40 and have four break point opportunities, but Reid held firm and got back to deuce and then converted the sudden death point to win the first set 6-2. Greg and James had served the better but their opposition, with a bit more luck, had taken the opportunites and won the set.

Matt Reid

At 1-1 in the second set, on Greg's serve and with three good 1st serves, a return winner and two good lobs from Groth and Reid, both of which dropped on the base-line had Greg and James scrambling and facing three break points at 0-40. Greg and James were not able to save the break and fell 1-2 behind. Reid consolidated the break and James then held serve before the applied the pressure on Groth's serve presented Greg and James with break-point. James was unable to return a good second serve from Groth who then hit an unreturnable 1st serve to stay ahead at 4-2. Games then went with serve to 5-4, with Reid serving for the match. Greg and James kept the score close but at 40-30 Reid was able to convert the first match point, to win the match 6-2, 6-4 and take the doubles title.

Greg & James at the trophy presentation

Greg and James were obviously disappointed with the result. They had served better than their opponents but had not been able to take the opportunities the created. Groth and Reid had returned well and had kept the pressure on Greg and James, playing the clutch points better and getting more of the luck required to win these matches.

Oz Summer 2011-13 #19

The doubles semi-final in Westlakes had Greg and James Duckworth up against the also unseeded pair of Canadian Peter Polansky, who Greg defeated in the singles, and New Zealander Michael Venus, who beat Greg in the ATL finals at Melbourne.

Greg volleying

Their opponents pitched up physically but perhaps not mentally and, despite them serving well, it was James and Greg who raced to a 5-0 lead. Polansky and Venus saved a break-point to avoid the bagel and then broke Greg and James, but it was the Aussies who won the first set 6-3.
The second set followed the same pattern, Greg and James breaking their opponents twice to get to a 4-0 lead. They then held serve competently, to win the set 6-2, winning the match 6-4, 6-2 and advancing to the finals of the doubles. The final will be played on Sunday.

Oz Summer 2012-13 #18

The quarterfinal round of the singles at Westlakes presented an interesting but tough and unpredictable opponent for Greg in the form of the Australian Open Junior Champion for 2013, young Australian 17 year-old Nick Kyrgios, from Canberra, already ranked 843 in the ATP rankings. Kyrgios is flush with his success in the Juniors, now ranked as the No. 1 in the world, is tall with a strong build for a junior player, and has a big game with a huge serve, and full of confidence with nothing to lose will be able to swing freely and go for his shots, a bit of an unknown for Greg to face.

Australian Open Junior Singles Champion 2013

And Kyrgios came out swinging, breaking Greg in the first service game, despite Greg serving four first serves. Greg fought back, bringing up break-point on Kyrgios' serve but Kyrgios was able to save and hold serve, to consolidate the break. Greg held and so did Kyrgios before Kyrgios again broke Greg to lead 4-1, with a double break. Greg rallied and brought up break-point on Kyrgios' serve and this time converted to get back to 5-2. But Kyrgios came out swinging again and broke Greg again to lead 5-2. Not to out-done, with Kyrgios serving for the set, Greg forced Kyrgios to 15-40, but Kyrgios saved both of those points before Greg again brought up break-point and this time was succesful, getting back a break at 3-5, then holding serve to force Kyrgios  to again serve for the set at 5-4. With the bravado of youth, given a second chance, Kyrgios served out the game to love, winning the first set 6-4.

Greg plays a backhand

Greg held his first service game of the second set as did Kyrgios. Then Greg had two game points but could not convert before Kyrgios brought up a break point, converting to lead 2-1, then 3-1. Greg then saved two break points from 15-40 and held serve, to keep the score close at 2-3. Greg was again forced to save two break pints in a long deuce game, before again holding for 3-5. Games went with serve to 5-4, with Greg unable to make any in-roads on Kyrgios's serve, with Kyrgios serving to close to 80% and winning most of those 1st serves. Then, with Kyrgios serving for the match and still serving well, Greg saved match point and forced Kyrgios to deuce and then broke him, to unexpectedly level the match at 5-5.
One would have thought the lesser experienced player in Kyrgios would now start to have doubts and back off a bit, but he did not. He came on even forced Greg to 0-40 and broke him again, to lead 6-5 and have another chance at serving out the match, which he did with aplomb this time, winning the set 7-5, and the match 6-4, 7-5.
Greg said he had not played badly and that Kyrgios  was just swinging at everything and they were landing. It was difficult to counter with Kyrgios who was serving at such a high percentage, and although Greg served well, at 60%, Nick had returned even better, going for his shots with success. A pity for Greg who is in good form but not able to serve at his best with a slight stomach muscle strain. Hope he recovers soon.

Oz Summer 2012-13 #17

Another view of Westlakes

Following his two hour long singles match, and after a warm-down and a quick lunch, Greg had to prepare for their second round doubles match at Westlakes, Adelaide. Opposing him and partner James Duckworth were the Japanese pairing of Hiroki Moriya and Yuichi Sugita. Sugita is the No.1 seed in the singles, ranked 140 and Moriya is the No.2 seed, ranked 174, so both can play a bit, but how would they go in doubles?

Greg & James

Games went with serve to 2-2, to the Aussie team, before they forced the Japanese pair to 15-40, which in the sudden death format, presented three break points. But the Japanese were able to fight back and hold serve, games going to 3-3. The Aussie then broke to lead 4-3, serving out the set 6-4.

Yuichi Sugita

With Greg and James serving well, with 4 aces in their first two games, they put the pressure on their higher ranked opponents, breaking to lead 3-2, then holding serve and breaking again to lead 5-2. 

Hiroki Moriya

The Japanese pair were not done and broke back and then held serve themselves to get to 4-5 and put the pressure back on the Aussies to serve for the set and match, for the second time. This time the Aussies rose to the challenge and won the game, winning the set 6-4 and the match 6-4, 6-4, to progress to the semi-finals of the doubles.

A good day at the office for Greg with two wins on the day.

Oz Summer 2012-13 #16

Westlakes Tennis Club

The draw for the Challenger tournament in Westlakes had Greg up against the No.3 seed in the second round, 24 year-old Canadian, Peter Polansky, currently ranked 178, with a high ranking of 149.
First match on, on a hot sunny day, Greg started serving and held serve well. He was returning well too, and forced Ponsky to deuce on his first two serve and then at 3-2 he twice brought up break-point on Polansky's serve but Polansky held firm and denied Greg the break of serve. Then at 4-4, against the run of play Polansky converted the only break-point opportunity Greg faced, to lead 5-4. Polansky then confidently served out the set to love, 6-4.

Greg was annoyed at the lapse and fired up in the second set, holding serve to love and then breaking Polansky to love to lead 2-0 and then 3-0. He broke Polansky again and then held serve to take a strangehold on the set with a 5-0 lead. Polansky held, forcing Greg to serve for the set at 5-1, which he did, also confidently to love, winning the set 6-1 and levelling the match at one set all.
With Polansky, serving first and back in the groove, he held and then forced Greg to face a break-point whihc he managed to save to get tp 1-1. In the heat of midday, both player's conserved energy and concentrated on holding serve, the server dominating and games to 5-5 without much bother. Greg then forced Polansky to deuce but was not able to progress further and Polansky rallied to hold serve.

Canadian Peter Polansky

The tie-break ensued at 6-6, with Polansky and Greg holding to get to 1-2. Then Greg won both of Polansky's serves to lead 4-1 . Polansky hit back and broke Greg for 4-2, and then trailed 2-5. Polansky held his to serves to put the pressure back on Greg at 4-5. He broke Greg to level at 5-5 but Greg brought up match point, with Polansky serving at 5-6. Polansky held but Greg then broke him again to bring up match point, this time on his serve at 7-6. But Polansky rose to the challenge and broke Greg again
to level at 7-7. Greg served to get to 8-7, but on Polansky's serve. This time Greg managed to break, and won the tie-break 9-7, on his 3rd match point, winning 4-6, 6-1, 7-6.
Greg had rallied back admirably and forced the match to a 3rd set. He served well, at over 75% in the 3rd set and, having having been ahead in the tie-break, had not buckled when Polansky fought back, showing plenty of mental strength to win the tie-break and advance to the quarter finals.

Oz Summer 2012-13 #15

Aerial view of the Westlakes area

In Westlakes, Adelaide a hot day greeted the players for the first round of the singles. Third match on in the heat of the day, Greg was up against another Aussie, good friend and fellow New South Welshman 25 year-old Adam Feeney, a tough competitor who playes equally as well from the back of the court as serve and volleying, currently ran.ked just ahead of Greg at 298.
Adam served first and Greg took advantage of a tentative Feeney, obviously nervous for this first round encounter, breaking Feeney in the first game aided by a double fault by Feeney. Greg consolidated the break and then Feeney got into his stride to get to 1-2. But Greg kept the pressure on and broke Feeney again and then held again to lead 5-1. Feeney served to stay in the match but Greg got him to 15-40 and then was gifted the break and the set 6-1, when Feeney again double faulted, his fifth double fault of the set.


Greg all concentration as he plays a backhand

Greg held serve in the first game of the second set and then again had Feeney at break-point. Feeney fought back and saved two break points before clinching the game, rallying and getting to 2-2. Feeney then took advantage of a lapse by Greg, who faced his first break-point at 15-40. He saved the first but Feeney won the next to break Greg 3-2, then 4-2. Greg knuckled down and began the fight back, holding serve to love and then breaking Feeney to get back to 4-4. Greg then fought back from 0-30 to lead 5-4 but was unable to break Feeney, games going with serve to 6-6 and the tie-break.

Adam Feeney

Greg got off to a flyer in the tie-break, holding serve and then breaking Feeney twice to lead 3-0. Two goof point on his serve got him to 5-0, then he broke Feeney again to have 6 match points at 6-0, going on to win the tie-break 7-1 and the match 6-1, 7-6.
A good performance by Greg who took advantage of his opponents poor serving game, with Feeney serving 10 double faults for the match, and serving and returning well himself, despite being hindered by a slight stomach strain, wdahich he suffered in the cold weather in Burnie. He is not shedued to play tomorrow, so will play again on Thursday.

Oz Summer 2012-13 #14

 The Australian Pro-circuit moved to Westlakes, Adelaide for the second Challenger tournament of 2013. Greg, partnered again with James Duckworth, who was at school with Greg. albeit a few years younger, was scheduled for doubles on the first day.

Greg and James in action

Their opponents were Italians 22 year-old Alessandro Giannessi, who Greg had played in the singles in Burnie, and 25 year-old Andrea Arnaboldi.
The Aussies served first and, after both teams held serve for the first few games, were first to break serve. They held serve and then forced the Italians to save more break-points. Greg and James were unable to break again and saved a break point thewselves vefore serving out the first set 6-3.

The winners shakes hand with Arnaboldi and Gianessi

In the second set both teams swopped breaks of serve in getting the score to 3-3. The Aussies were then able to break the Italians again and served out the second set 6-4, winning the match 6-3, 6-4, to advance to the second round.

Oz Summer 2012-13 #13

With persistent rain washing out the play for the whole of Thursday, it was not until Friday that Greg and partner James Duckworth could take to court, and then only after all the back-logged singles matches were completed.

Partner James Duckworth

Their opponents in the first round were fellow Aussies 25 year-old Sam Groth, owner of the fastest recorded serve in Men's tennis, at 263 km/h, and 23 year-old Matt Reid.
Against the big serving Groth and the powerful yet consistent Reid, in the first set Greg and James managed to fashion four break point opportunities, in the sudden death deuce format of the doubles game, but could only convert once. Their opponents were more successful, breaking Greg and James twice in the first set, to win the set 6-4.

NSW's Matt Reid

 In the second set, their opponents increased the pressure and brought up four break-point opportunities, whilst presenting none of their own. The pressure told on Greg and James, who managed to save three of those break-point but could not prevent Groth and Reid from eventually breaking through, to get the decisive break and lead 5-4. they then confidently served out the last game to win the match 6-4, 6-4.

Big-serving Sam Groth

Not the best tournament for Greg, on his sixth visit to Tasmania for this tournament, or James, who lost first round in Burnie after reaching the second round of the Australian Open singles and having two marathon five-set matches in succession. They will now head to Westlakes in Adelaide for the next Challenger tournament.