Asia-America tour #3

The first round of theThailand Open, an ATP250 tour event, had Greg matched up against 24 year-old German Matthias Bachinger, currently ranked 98. With a high ranking of 85, recently recorded in August, Bachinger is in good form. A tough ask, but could this be Greg's first ATP win?

Centre Court - Indoors

With Greg serving first both players started confidently, games going quickly to 3-3. In the seventh game though, Greg was forced to save a brak-point, then two more before eventually winning the game to go 4-3 up. With new balls, both players held serve to get to 5-5. At the business end of the set Bachinger applied more pressure and had Greg at 0-30, then had a break-point at 30-40, converting to go a break up at 6-5. Bachinger confidently served out the set to love, winning the set 7-5.
Greg was immediately under pressure in the second set and Bachinger broke Greg and then held serve, having now won 5 games in a row to go a set and 2-0 up. Greg was forced to save another two break-points before stopping Bachinger's run and get to 1-2. Bachinger was serving at over 85% first serves and again hit four 1st serves to go 3-1 up, games going to 2-4. 

Matthias Bachinger



In the seventh game of this set Greg had a marathon game, showing his fighting qualities by saving seven break points and eventually holding serve after 10 deuces, to close out gap to 3-4. Bachinger then stepped up and served four 1st serves to get to 3-5.

Greg held for 4-5 and then fought to break Bachinger's serve, getting to 30-30 but could not deny Bachinger serving out the game, set and match, winning a close fought battle 7-5, 6-4.

Greg had fought hard but could do very little against a player who served at an incredible 81%, winning 90% of those serves, and also returning well. Greg served at a creditable 63% but Bachinger was too good on the day, and Greg will have to wait for another day to win his first ATP tour level match.

Asia-America tour #2

The final round of qualifying at the Thailand had Greg facing a tough assignment, the No.1 seeded qualifier, Rainer Schuettler. In the twilight of his career spanning 16 years to date, the 35 year-old German Schuettler, is still highly ranked at 114, with a top ten ranking high of 5.
Serving first on Centre Court Greg held comfortably, and Schuettler did like-wise, for 1-1. Greg served 3 aces to hold for 2-1, then returned well to force Schuettler to 30-40, converting the break-point opportunity to lead 3-1. Games went with serve to 4-2, when Greg, serving the seventh game with old balls was forced to 15-40. He saved the two break-points and then held to go 5-2 up. Schuettler held comfortably for 5-3, forcing Greg to serve for the set, which he did, serving an ace at 40-30 to win the set 6-3. 1-0 to Greg.

German Rainer Schuettler

In the second set Schuettler held easily, Greg less so in getting to 1-1. Greg then forced Schuettler to save a break-pont before converting the next break-point to go a break up at 2-1. He held a bit nervously to 30, then again pressurised Schuettler, to get him to 0-40, and then converted at the first opportunity to take a solid two break advantage at 4-1. Both players held serve for 5-2, with Greg to serve for the match.
It was a slightly tight Greg who could not serve a first serve, serving his second serve well enough though to bring up match point. Schuettler saved that to get Greg to deuce but Greg again produced another matrch point on a second serve. This time he managed to serve a first serve, winning the match 6-3, 6-2 to advance to his thirrd ATP 250 tournament main draw this year.
A great reward for the hard work he has put in this year. Greg served well, except for the last game which brought his stats down, serving 10 aces and only 1 double fault. He attacked Schuettler's serve, winning all of Schuettler's second serves in the 2nd set.

        Now for the Main Draw.

Asia-America tour #1

After almost three weeks back in Australia in Sydney and Melbourne, part R&R and plenty of hard training, it was off to Bangkok for Greg for the qualifying of an ATP 250 event, the Thailand Open. Having to win three rounds to qualify for the main draw, Greg was seeded No.6 and had a bye throught the 1st round. His 2nd round opponent was a local Thai player Aviruth Phaphui, unranked in the ATP singles, a match Greg would be expected to win.

With Greg serving first and holding serve, Phaphui was forced to save four break points before holding serve for 1-1. After that it was a matter of Greg concentrating and holding serve, breaking Phaphui twice, and serving out the set, to win the first set 6-1.
The second set saw Phaphui hold serve and get to 1-1 again before Greg broke serve and then comfortably holding serve to go 5-3 up. Greg broke Phaphui again to win the second set 6-3 and the match 6-1, 6-4, advancing to the final round of qualifying.
A much tougher assignment awaits Greg there, as he takes on the No.1 seed, German Rainer Scheuttler.

USA TOUR 2011 #23

The final round of qualifying for the US Open had Greg faced up against the No. 9 qualifying seed 25 year-old Japanese Go Soeda, currently ranked 122, with a high rank of 90 in April 2011, so in good form. Interestingly Soeda was the only seed in Greg's half of the draw, out of 16 seeds, to make the final round of qualifying, the others having lost in the first two rounds. Greg and Soeda had played once before, on indoor carpet in Japan, with Soeda winning in three sets.

Greg served first and was immediately put to the test by Soeda who forced Greg to save a break point and face multiple deuces before Greg could hold, to lead 1-0. At 1-1 Greg again faced two break points at 15-40 but again he saved and got to 2-1. At 2-2 Greg had game point on his serve but could not convert and Soeda got him to deuce and then broke to lead 3-2. Greg got Soeda to 0-30 in the next game but Soeda responded and won four points in a row to go to 4-2. Greg held for 3-4 and Soeda did likewise to lead 5-3 before getting Greg to 15-40 afcing two set-points, Soeda converting to take the set 6-3 and serve first in the second set.

Go Soeda

Soeda held to love and then again got Greg to deuce and break-point, converting to take an early lead in the 2nd set, then held serve for 3-0. Greg saved break-point again in the next service game but, after four deuces could not stop Soeda from bringing up and converting another break-point to take a decisive 4-0 lead. Soeda held to lead 5-0 and had Greg facing the possibility of being bagelled, but Greg responded and got his name on the 2nd set score-board at 5-1. Then he forced Soeda to 0-40 to have his first break-point opportunity of the match. Soeda saved those 3 points but Greg again brought up break-points and converted to get one break at 5-2. After another long deuce game Greg managed to hold serve to stay alive in the match at 5-3. This time though,with Soeda serving for the match for a second time Greg was unable to get any in-roads into the serve and Soeda duly served out the set 6-3, winning the match 6-3, 6-3 and qualifying for the US Open Main Draw.

Greg was bitterly disappointed but he had served well, at 60% for the match, but Soeda had returned better, especially on the "ad" court and Greg could not finish his service games.

And so ended his dream of qualifying for a Grand Slam event in 2011. He had done well this year, with two final showings in qualifying, but not been able to get over that final hurdle. Now to prepare for next year. First a bit of R&R, some rest back in Australia, and then the campaign will start again.

USA Tour 2011 #22

It was a stormy day which greeted players for the second round of qualifying for the US Open, with Greg the second match on his designated court. So as the rain fell it was a day of waiting around waiting for the weather to improve. At least the facilities at the Tennis Centre are top class with a big player cafe and comfy chairs in the locker room. By a quirt of the draw gods Greg's 2nd round opponent is exactly the same player Greg confronted, and lost to, in the 2nd round of the qualifying last year, bulky 23 year-old Czech Dusan Lodja, currently ranked just above Greg at 206, with ahigh rank of 161. On current form Greg will be confident but will need to exorcise last years result.

Players have returned to court so hopefully, if it does not rain again, Greg will be on court after the current Ladies match finishes.

With Greg serving first both players held serve to 2-1, when Greg got Lojda to 15-40 and converted at the first opportunity to lead 3-1 and then served a love game for 4-1. Lojda held for 4-2 but at 5-2 up Greg got Lojda to 0-40, again converting the break point opportunity immediately to win the set 6-2.

Dusan Lojda

Again serving first Greg was untroubled in getting to 3-2, when he agin got Lojda to 0-40 and converted the break-point to take a4-2 lead. After a deuce game he held serve to lead 5-2. Lojda hit back though, holding his own serve to trail 5-3. With Greg serving, with new balls, for the match Lojda upper the ante and forced Greg to 15-40. greg saved the first point but was unable to prevent Lojda breaking back, for 4-5. Lojda held serve and then Greg served a love game for 6-5. Lojda took the set to the tie-break at 6-6.

In the tie-break Greg got an early mini-break to lead 2-0 and then held the advantage to lead 4-2 at the change over, then 4-3. He won both serves to lead 6-3 and fianlly closed out the tie-break and the set 7-4, winning the match 6-2, 7-6 to advance to the final round of qualifying. Two matches down, one to go.

Greg will be happy having got revenge for the defeat last year. His service stats were good and he again showed good mental toughness after his little hic-cup in not serving out the set.

USA Tour 2011 #21

Flushing Meadows New York was the setting for the first round of the Qualifying tournament for the US Open and Greg faced the No.19 seed, who had an interesting story to tell. USA's 25 year-old Wayne Odesnik (born in South Africa) had served a one year suspension for bringing illegal human-growth drugs into Australia before the Australian Open a couple of years. After being fined, serving the suspension and losing all his points many believe Odesnik got off lightly for his offence. Since his ban Odesnik, to his credit, has battled his way back via the Futures and Challengers circuit without any wild cards to be ranked 142, having attained a high ranking of 77 in 2009. A tough match for Greg against an in-form player.

Greg served first and held and then immediately had a break point against Odesnik, who saved that point and then another before holding for 1-1. Games went with serve to 5-4 with Greg serving well. Then Greg again got Odesnik to 30-40 but was denied again. After multiple deuces Odesnik saved another break point to level the match at 5-5. Games went with serve to the tie-break at 6-6.

Greg jumped to a 2-0 lead in the tie-break but then inexplicably lost the next 6 point, and faced 4 set points. He saved the first, then won the nex 3 points to change ends at 6-6. He lost his next service point though and this time Odesnik served out the tie-break 8-6, pouching the first set 7-6, a set in which Greg never saved a break-point on his serve and in which dominated every statistic, except the score-line.

With Odesnik serving first it was a determined Greg who broke Odesnik to 15, then held serve and broke Odesnik again to lead 3-0, then held serve for a 4-0 lead. Odesnik steadied the ship for 4-1 but Greg was able to comfortably hold his own serve and served out the set 6-2, levelling the match at 1-set-all.

Wayne Odesnik

Odesnik again served first in the critical 3rd set and this time held his serve to love. Greg followed suit with his own love game, to go 1-1, before Odesnik got to 40-0 on the 3rd game. Greg pegged him back though to get to deuce and then on the 3rd deuce brought up a 2nd break-point in the game to convert and go 2-1 up. Greg served for a 3-1 lead (with the old balls) before breaking Odesnik again t lead 4-1 with a double break. He served out a love game and then served for the match at 5-2. He displayed few nerves as he won the game to 15 and the set 6-2, winning a great tussle 6-7, 6-2, 6-2.

Greg will be especially pleased with winning the match, given Odesnik's history. He served well a 62% and wom a high percentage (88%) of those serves, not allowing Odesnik to even get to deuce on any of his service games. A sterling affort. Not sure if Greg plays tomorrow or has rest day. One match down, two still to win.

USA Tour 2011 #20

After Binghampton Greg and Ryan headed for Florida, via a night in Miami, to the Bolletieri tennis academy, in Bradenton on the south-western Gulf coast of Florida. Greg had been invited to train there by USA teen star Ryan Harrison, whose dad was his coach and is also a coach at the academy.  

They were given hospitality for the week with the Harrison family, who also had Michael Venus of New Zealand with them. Unfortunatlet Ryan was not there as he had been given a wild card into the Cincinnatti Master tournament.

Greg said it was hot and humid in Bradenton but that the training was very good with plenty of hitting and fitness work. No doubt Ryan's fitness is catching up to that of Greg. He said Ryan's family were great and made their stay there very pleasant.

On the weekend they made their way to New York to acclimatise and get used to the courts at Flushing Meadows in preparation for the US Open qualifying tournament which begins on Tuesday, USA eastern time. Greg has to win three matches in order to qualify for the Main Singles draw.

USA Tour 2011 #19

The quarter finals of the Binghamton Challenger had Greg matched up against 24 year-old Slovenian Grega Zemlja, currently ranked 130, with a high rank of 111. Zemjla beat Bernard Tomic to win the Caloundra Challenger tournament in February, so will be another tough challenge for Greg.

Slovenian Grega Zemjla

Serving first Greg started confidently, serving two aces in his first service game, only to see Zemlja do the same and then get Greg to 15-40. Greg saved 3 points before Zemlja broke to lead 3-1, then serve for a 3-1 lead. The next game was a long one, seeing Greg go from 40-15 to saving 3 break-points, then having a game point before again getting broken to fall 1-4, then 1-5 behind. Greg rallied to win the next game then had Zemlja facing two break-points at 5-2. Zemlja saved and served out the game to win the 1st set 6-2.

Greg started the 2nd set with an ace but Zemlja countered and after a long deuce game broke Greg to lead 1-0. Greg responded and had Zemlja at 15-40 but Zemlja saved and after another long deuce game held to go 2-0 up. A tiring Greg then got 30-0 up before falling behind again and losing his serve to go an ominous 3-0 double-break down. Zemlja held to love and then again forced Greg to break-point and converted to take 5-0 lead, then serve out the set 6-0.

A resounding win for Zemlja, but there were some long rallies. Greg failed to close out his service games when ahead and di not win enough points on Zemlja's second serves. A disappointing end for Greg in a good tournament display.