Back in the Saddle - USA Futures #6

Irvine Racquet Club

In the second round of the singles of the $10k Futures at Irvine Racquet Club, Greg was up against USA teenager, 19 year old Gage Brymer, as yet unranked in the ATP.

The first set went according to script for No. 7 seed Greg, who served 8 aces in not facing a break point the whole set and returned just as well He converted two of the four break points he created, breaking Brymer twice in winning the first set 6-1.

19 year-old Gage Brymer

With Brymer serving first in the second set, Greg concentrated on holding his serve, saving a break point in his first service game, games going with serve to 3-3. Greg then upped the ante and managed to break Brymer on the third break point of Brymer's next service game to go 4-3 up. Brymer responded getting Greg to deuce in the next game but Greg held firm, consolidating the break at 5-3. Brymer held serve, then Greg served out the match to love, ending with a sweetly hit ace, winning the set 6-3 and the match 6-1 6-3.

A tidy match for Greg with 12 aces and just two double faults. Tougher matches ahead will test his current form.

Back in the Saddle - USA Futures #5

At the Racquet Club of Irvine for this week's $10k Futures event, Greg's first match was the doubles, this time back with Greg Ouellette. Against the inexperienced pairing of Skyler Butts from Hong Kong and Warren Wood of the USA, the Greg's did not have things all their way but still got the job done with one break advantage in the first set and two in the second, to win 6-4, 6-2.
In his first round singles match Greg, seeded No.7, was up against 22 year old Cuban Randy Blanco, ranked 1744, who had just the previous year defected from Cuba, whilst playing in a Davis Cup tie in Central America. He and a team-mate skipped away from the team and flew to Miami to defect. A brave move by a young person.
In the match Blanco got off to a slow and erratic start, and Greg capitalised, dominating the first set, breaking Blanco three times to deliver a "bagel" first set score-line of 6-0. Blanco was not down though and came out swinging in the second set. Unfortunately Greg let him back into the match, swopping breaks of serve with Blanco twice in the set and eventually getting to the tie-break at 6-6. 

Cuban Randy Blanco

Greg could not have been happy when Blanco wrested the tie-break away, winning it 7-4 and the second set 7-6, levelling the match at one set all.
In the third set, with Greg serving first, it was Greg who got the decisive break, getting to 4-2 up. Blanco tried to fight back, saving break point in his next game, to get to 4-3, then forcing Greg to deuce in his next service game, but Greg held firm. Then, at 5-3 up, Greg brought up match point on Blanco's serve, converting to win the set 6-3 and a longer than necessary match 6-0, 6-7(4), 6-3.
In the end a win for Greg but he will not be happy with the score-line or the fact that he served just 2 aces and 8 double faults. He did manufacture 20 break point opportunities but converted only 6 of those break points.
The Greg's still had a tough doubles match to play, as the last match of the day, up against the No. 4 seeds Dennis Nevolo and Ecudorian Sebastian Rivera. It was a good result for Greg, both playing well in posting a solid 63 62 win, to advance to the semi-finals. Also Greg said that his shoulder felt good throughout both matches and a small leg injury he had been carrying was well on the road to repair.

Back in the Saddle - USA Futures #4

This week Greg was still in Los Angeles to play in the Costa Mesa Pro Classic $10k Futures event. He was in the Main Draw and had a tough first round assignment, up against Russian born American, 20 year-old Dennis Novikov. Novikov is one of the many up-and-coming young USA players, and having won two Futures titles this year, is currently ranked near his best ranking at 452. Novikov was not entered in the event and had come through qualifying, winning four matches for the right to play in the main event, so will be quite used to the court conditions. The No. 5 seed will be a challenge for Greg in the first round.
The first set was a tight affair. Greg had break point opportunity but could not convert. Despite serving 6 aces in the first set, Greg faced three break-points on his own serve, saving two but was unable to hold, going down a break. Novikov served out the second, winning it 6-4.

Dennis Novikov

In the second set games went with serve to 4-4. Greg then went 0-30 down but recovered to hold and go 5-4 up. He then forced Novikov to 15-40 and had two break points to win the set. Novikov responded and the chance was gone, as Novikov levelled at 5-5. Greg was struggling with the old balls, with balls changes less often in the Futures tournaments, who knows why. He again recovered from 0-30 down to hold serve and go 6-5. Novikov then held as well taking the game to the tie-break.
In the tie-break, similar to Greg's previous two service games, Novikov got the early break and Greg was unable to break back, Novikov breaking again to win the tie-break 7-2 and a close hard fought match 6-4, 7-6(2).

Disappointing for Greg, but he served his first serve well, getting much reward when the balls were fresh, serving 8 aces but not the result he wanted. Novikov seized the moment and went on to the final, beating Australian Matt Reid in a triple tie-break match, eventually losing to Jarmere Jenkins.

In the doubles Greg teamed up with mate Carsten Ball, who made a rare appearance on the tour, and they combined to win their first round 6-3, 6-2. In the second round they served 13 aces but still came out on the wrong side of the score-line, going down to USA's MCdonal & Redlicki 3-6, 6-7(4). Greg and Carsten had their chance in the tie-break servingat 4-3 but then lost their serves and four point on the trot to lose the tie-break 4-7.

Back in the Saddle - USA Futures #3

In the third round of qualifying in Claremont, Greg, the No.1 seed, was up against 20 year-old Dutchman Max De Vroome, currently ranked 2131. Big serving De Vroome plays No. 3 in college tennis at USC, who won 4 national titles in a row, so will be a sterner test for Greg.

On a sunny 36 deg day, on a lively hard court, games went quickly with serve, with the giant Dutchman "serving bombs out of a tree" and there were no breaks first set in the set. In the tie-break Greg was able to get the vital break and skipped ahead to pouch the tie-break 7-2, and take the set 7-6.

With the balls getting older and softer there were five breaks of serve in the second set, unfortunately three to De Vroome and only to to Greg, with De Vroome winning the set 7-5 at the death. In the third set Greg was starting to tire after two hours in the 36 degree heat. His second serve was letting him down under pressure, having not served kick serves for almost 5 months his second serve is still a work in progress, but improving every match he plays. Greg gave away a break of serve at 1-2 and De Vroome capitalised. Greg was unable to get the break back and De Vroome held on to his serve to the end, winning the third set 6-3 and a long, hot match 67(2), 7-5, 6-3.

A close match for Greg but not the result he desired. It could have gone either way in the second set but was not to be. Disappointing for Greg as he was hoping to get more match practise, but perhaps a blessing in disguise in that at this stage of his come-back it may have been too much tennis, too much serving for his shoulder in one week. He is going to try and get into the doubles which will give him more court time, albeit in shorter and less intense serving circumstances.
De Vroome qualified anreached the second round of the Main Draw.
In the doubles Greg played alongside his friend Greg Ouellette. Greg said he played well but the same could not be said of Ouellette, and they went down to a USA College pairing of Helliar and Manlow, both from Great Britain, 6-3, 6-3.

Back in the Saddle - USA Futures #2

The second round of qualifying at Claremont had Greg matched up against 19 year old Jason Amos American Jason Amos, a collegiate player at the University of Oregon. Currently unranked in the ATP, Amos qualified at the Winnipeg Futures and pushed Canadian Bester, who Greg lost to n the second round, to 76 in the first round, so is a player who knows his way around the court.
Greg started the match well and was able to break Amos twice in winning the first set. The second set was a struggle though, with Greg breaking serve early to take an early lead. Some nervous second serves, a result of not playing competitively for awhile, saw him drop serve and lose his advantage, going down 2-4. He fought back as Amos struggle to maintain his lead, and levelled at 4-4. Greg said they then plays some quality tennis in getting to the tie-break at 6-6.
The tie-break was a tense struggle, Greg's experience and big first serve helping him to stay with Amos and eventually close out a very close tie-break 8-6, winning the match 6-2, 7-6(6)..
Greg said whilst the second set was close it highlighted his need to serve more aggressively on his second serve. He plays the third match on Sunday, California time.

Back in the Saddle - USA Futures #1

Following the tournament in Winnipeg, Greg returned to Los Angeles, where the plan was to train for a week then go back to Canada for two more Futures tournaments. Greg however reassessed the situation and as the tournaments where on clay and indoor hard court, two surfaces he had not played on for well over a year and seeing as he has been training on hard court since February, he decided to change his schedule. He pulled out of the Canadian Futures and will now contest three $10k Futures, all in California, near Los Angeles, on hard court, in a sunny climate, where hopefully he won't be forced to play more than one match a day, with no rain delays.

Unfortunately due to his late decision to compete in the USA tournaments, Greg was not entered in this weeks tournament, so will have to contest the qualifying, and with a 128 player draw, that means winning four matches to qualifying. The entry level of the pro-circuit is brutal, as you then have to win the first round before getting any ATP points.
Still, Greg is seeded No.1 in qualifying, and is the highest ranked player, but will be under a ton of pressure to qualify against much younger players, hungry for success or to gain their first ranking point. His first round opponent was 18 year-old Greek Chris Mikravos, unranked as yet.
Greg said he was never under any pressure in the match, winning the match pretty comfortably 6-1, 6-1. He said he had served well and that he had no adverse feeling in his troubled right shoulder, so hopefully the shoulder is now ready for the tougher challenges which lay ahead. One down three to go to Main Draw.
 

Back in the saddle - 22 Aug 2014

 It was a frustrating wait for the second round of the Futures tournament in Winnipeg for Greg, as, third match on, the second matches went to three sets and then the rain came, preventing any more play on Thursday, and pushing the matches back to Friday. This meant that should he win the match, Greg would have to back up for a second match on the same day, showing the folly of starting the tournament proper only on Tuesday. The the forecast for more showers, it was an early start for Greg, up against 25 year-old Canadian Phil Bester, currently ranked 604. It was a match Greg would have been favoured to win, back before his shoulder injury, so it would be interesting to see how he went. although Bester was playing well, having knocked off the No.6 seed in the first round.

View from Winnipeg Lawn Tennis Club

Games went to 4-3 on serve in Greg's favour when a bad-line call seemed to distract Bester, and Greg was able to capitalise, getting Bester to 15-40 and converting to get a vital break of serve, to lead 5-3. Greg served out set, reeling off 5 games in a row, to win the set 6-3 and lead 2-0 in the second set, breaking Bester again in the first game of the set. He then had a very annoyed Bester at 15-40 again, with a chance to take a stranglehold on the match. Bester then just teed-off on his shots and they went in, getting back to deuce and levelling at 2-2, gaining in confidence with the crowd support behind him. The momentum changed and Greg was unable to counter, Bester getting back on a roll and breaking Greg again to pouch the second set 6-3.
 

Courts close together, no division

Greg's lack of match fitness was starting to play a part, and he went an early break down. He was unable to counter and Bester went on to take a strangehold on the match, breaking Greg again to win the set 6-2 and a topsy turvy match 3-6, 6-3, 6-2.
Greg said another factor in the match was that the courts had no separation between them and play was continually disprupted with balls going on the other court, or having to re-play points when their play was stopped. It was exacerbated with the fact that their were no ball boys. In addition, on the adjoining court, the girls match became a screaming affair, with Alendra Stephenson (who should know better) screaming at the umpire, with her mother joining in as well. Greg eventually had to tell them to shut-up, in more harsh terms, which got a hearty cheer from the crowd. The Futures circus Greg will have to get used to as he battles his way back to the Challengers and beyond.

Canadian Phil Bester

A disappointing result for Greg but he said he was pleased with his game, the first set had been a good standard of tennis for both players. His shoulder had come through a rigorous match well, with no pain. The only negative factors were stiffness in his left side, from the serving, which his body was not used to and overall match fitness, with the stress produced from the match contributing to his body tightening up in the latter stages of the match.
Greg will return to California to continue training for a week, then play some more Futures tournaments in Canada and California.
Bester played the third round that afternoon and knocked off the No. 3 seed to reach the semi-finals.

Back in the Saddle - 20 August 2014

After an agonisingly long six months of recuperation and training, and having played only three matches since October 2013, Greg was finally back in a competitive tennis match. He had spent the last five weeks in Los Angeles, staying alternatively between friends Carsten and Guy, training at various tennis centres, mainly where Carsten coached, and continuing his rehabilitation, and was now champing at the bit to get back on the circuit.
His first tournament back was a $15k Futures Tournament in Winnipeg, Canada. For this tournament Greg had gained entry on his ranking as at the entry cut-off but may have to rely on his protected ranking of 317 for future tournaments.
The draw gods were kind to him for the first round, up against unranked 18 year-old Canadian Iancu-Lustinian Ghinda. Greg had a dream start to his come-back, rolling off the first seven games of the match, to win the first set 6-0 and lead 1-0 in the second set. Ghinda eventually got on the score-board but Greg snuffed out any thought of a rally by Ghinda, breaking him twice more in winning the second set 6-2, and winning a comfortable match 6-0, 6-2.
A good result for Greg, which will help his confidence and his match awareness. Just a question of how the shoulder responded to the rigours of competitive play. No doubt a sterner test will follow tomorrow.