Australasia Spring - End of Season

It was not the end of the season that Greg had planned nor wished for. Having won the Futures tournament in Sydney, the final five Challenger tournaments of 2013 beckoned with much promise. With the points gained from that win Greg had improved his ranking to a point where he was certain of main draw entry into all of the tournaments, with the possibility of being seeded for both the Traralgon and Yeongwol events. But fate was to determine otherwise.
Having complained of back stiffness and soreness during the Sydney Futures tournament, getting treatment from the ATP physiotherapist everyday, Greg was diagnosed with a bulging disc in his spine. All the more amazing that he was able to win that tournament and a testament to his fighting spirit and will to win. And no wonder he lost his first round match in Melbourne. Rest was the only solution and his first round loss in Melbourne provided the time for rest, before Greg began his preparation for the next tournament in Traralgon.
Then, in what can only be described as an unfortunate freak occurrence, Greg, whilst stepping up and around to get into a bench seat at dinner, twisted his knee with his full weight bearing down on the joint and causing a sublagation of the knee joint, resulting in a small tear in the tendons around the knee.
The pain was immediate and Greg was in no doubt that he could not compete in the tournament the following week.
He was out of the Traralgon tournament and after more treatment  and further assessment by the Tennis Australia doctor Greg was forced to withdraw from the Yeongwol tournament and subsequently out of the final two tournaments of the year.  The progosis was that it would take between four to six weeks for the knee to heal. Each week Greg has tried to play but has been unable to put his full weight and pressure on the knee, and thus has just continued with rest and therapy.
A pity, as the end of the season had promised much with Greg in good form. He would have been the 6th seed in Traralgon and seeded 8 in Yeongwol, and with favourable draws in both tournaments (which Matt Reid gratefully capitalised on in Greg's absence), he could have taken his ranking below 200 again.

But such is life in the world of tennis. It was not to be and Greg will now concentrate on getting his knee better and his body in top shape for next year and the Australian Summer of Tennis.

Australasian Spring - Melbourne #1

After a week's break in Melbourne, trying to recover from back stiffness, shake off a cold and train in winterish Melbourne weather, it was back into the fray for Greg in the ATP $50k Challenger tournament at Melbourne Park. With his doubles match scheduled for Monday postponed due to rain, his singles match took precedence, with the double match to follow later, weather permitting. The miserable Melbourne weather continued and it was a low 18 degrees, with drizzly rain and gusty winds that greeted Greg and his opponent for the match, drizzle delaying the start of the match from 10am to 12:45pm.

Melbourne Park Tennis Precinct By a quirk of the draw god's Greg was drawn against his doubles partner for the tournament, 26 year-old Englishman and good friend James Ward, currently ranked 180, with a high rank of137. Greg and Wardy have played each other a few times, with Greg slightly ahead in the head-to-head. It was an inauspicious start for both players, Greg saving three break points in the opening service game before holding, whilst Ward emulated Greg, saving two break points, in getting to 1-1. Ward then forced Greg to 0-40 and converted the first break opportunity to go a break up. He consolidated the break to lead 3-1. Greg fought back, holding serve and then bringing up break- back points on Ward's serve. Ward saved to get to deuce but Greg managed to break him, levelling the score at 3-3. Then in the next game Greg failed to close out the game at 40-30 and Ward broke Greg again to lead 4-3, then 5-3. This time Greg could not get the break back and Ward served out the set to win it 6-4.

 Brit James Ward Greg was quickly into trouble in the cold, breazy weather in the second set, saving from 0-40 down to get to deuce but he could not hold and Ward went a break up at 1-0, then held for a 2-0 lead. Greg said his back was really sore and stiff and so he had an injury time-out to have the physiotherapist work on his lower back. At the resumption of play, with Greg serving, the third game proved to be decisive as Greg again failed to close out the game at 40-30 and Ward broke Greg again to lead with a double break 3-0, then holding for a 4-0 lead. Ward was in the groove now and won the remaining games against a frustrated Greg, struggling with his serve and movement,  to deliver a 'bagel' 6-0 set win and win the match 6-4, 6-0.

Not the kindest draw for Greg given the relative weakness of the entrants. Greg said he was not moving well due to his sore back and he got frustrated in the end.

The doubles matches were postponed again as the weather closed in and play was cancelled for the day.

Australasian Spring - Sydney #5

It was perfect tennis weather for the final of the Sydney Futures tournament at the Olympic tennis venue at Homebush, which, to the delight of the sponsors, featured local flavour in the form of two Sydney born players, who both trained at the centre as juniors. Greg's opponent was young 19 year-old Jordan Thompson, who from having no ranking at the start of the year has had an outstanding year and progressed his ATP singles ranking to 361, with two Futures titles in the last two months, including the Futures title in Alice Springs a fortnight ago. Having now won nine matches in a row he was on a hot streak.

Jordan Thompson at Wimbledon

With Greg serving first both players showed few nerves in getting to 2-2. Then with Greg struggling to adjust to the slower pace of the younger Thompson's game and making a myriad of unforced errors, Thompson broke Greg to lead 3-2, then 4-2. Greg rallied to hold for 4-3 but could not break Thompson who held serve to lead 5-3. Then with four first serves Greg raced to 40-15 but an errant drop-shot from Greg and a net cord from Thompson got the score to deuce. Thompson then brought up set point. Greg saved that point to get back to deuce but a double fault gave Thompson a second set point which he converted to pocket the first set 6-3.

Jordan and Greg on court

 Jordan held serve to start the second set as did Greg, games going with serve to 3-2, Jordan leading. The two errors and a double fault saw Greg staring at 15-40 and he was unable to stop Jordan converting the opportunity to get a critical break of serve and lead 4-2. Things were looking grim for Greg but he regained his composure, cut down the unforced errors and put the pressure back on young Thompson to serve out the set to get the win. He hit back immediately breaking Jordan and then holding serve to level the score at 4-4. Both players held to get to 5-5, then Greg brought up another break point on Thompson's serve, converting to lead 6-5. Thompson tried to fight back but despite getting Greg to 30-30 he was unable to stop Greg winning the game and the 2nd set 7-5, to level the match at one set all.

Greg had the momentum and seized the opportunity to put even more pressure on Thompson, breaking him again to lead 1-0. Young Thompson fought back and got Greg to 15-40 and had two break-back opportunities. Two good serves from Greg saw the score back to deuce, with Greg only managing to win the point after another three deuces. With Thompson still a bit groggy from not winning the last set, being broken and then being able to break, Greg struck again to break Thompson again, and lead 3-0. Two double faults in a row gifted Thompson an opening and a drop shot winner from him saw Greg facing three break points at 0-40. Greg was determined though and to Thompson's chagrin, some solid play from Greg saw him save those points and hold serve for a 4-0 lead. Thompson then held serve for 4-1, and another long deuce game on Greg's serve got the score to 5-1. Greg upped the tempo, and forced Thompson to 0-40. He duly converted the break bringing up his first hard court title, winning the match 3-6, 7-5, 6-1.

A hard fought win for Greg in a match in which he did not play at his best, struggling at first to adjust to Thompson's game, but his greater experience, coupled with his superior serve, enabled him to fight back and win the match.

Australasian Spring - Sydney #4

The temperature had dropped to a much friendlier 23 degrees for the semi final of the Sydney Futures tournament. A blessing for Greg after his gruelling match in soaring temperatures the previous day. Awaiting him was the No. 3 seed, fellow Aussie from the Central Coast, just north of Sydney, 28 year-old Adam Feeney. A well experienced pro-tour player Greg had watched Feeney train at Homebush when Greg was still in the junior squads, but had also built up a friendship with Feeney when they where both touring and training with the AIS. Currently ranked 324, with a high rank of 248 in the singles, Adam is a solid player who combines both base line accuracy with a good volley repertoire, but can run hot or cold in matches. 

Good friends Adam & Greg

Sydney Tennis Centre at Homebush

Adam had the honours and Greg was quick to get him on the back foot. In a long first service game Greg eventually converted a break point opportunity to seize the initiative. Feeney hit straight back, aided by a couple of errors by Greg, to have three break-back opportunities at 0-40 on Greg's serve. Greg was not about to give back the advantage and five big serves saw him save those points and go to a 2-0 lead. Adam tried desperately to get the break back but Greg was solid, saving another break point chance in getting the score to 5-4. He then proceeded to serve out the first set 6-4.

Adam Feeney at Cairns Futures

Greg repeated the break of Adam's first serve in the second set, again consolidating the break to lead 2-0. He then wrested the match from Adam, forcing another break of serve to go 3-0, then 4-0 up. Adam got himself on the scoreboard in the second set and Greg held serve for a 5-1 lead. Greg then again brought up break-point on Feeney's serve, this time match point, winning the point and the set and match 6-4, 6-1 to advance to the final.

A competent display by Greg in a match in which the tennis never reached any great heights. Greg served the better, saving four break points, and converted his opportunities, which was the difference in the match.
Wish him luck for the final.

Australasian Spring - Sydney #3

A very hot day greeted the quarter finalists of the Futures tournament at Homebush, with hot westerly winds predicted to increase throughout the day to almost gale force proortions, and send the temperature to a high of 37 degrees. An early start for the matches was scheduled and when Greg took to the court at 10am the temperature was a warm above 30 degrees and the wind was starting to blow.His opponent was 17 year old Blake Mott from the Wollongong, just south of Sydney, a promising junior player who was part of the National High performance Academy at Homebush and, at 15 years old, represented Australia in the Junior Davis Cup. Alikened to Lleyton Hewitt in playing style, Mott has an accurate serve and a consistent back court game which makes his opponent play a lot of shots each point, creating errors by his opponent and opportunities for Mott to finish the point off.
Greg started serving and after holding serve broke young Mott to lead 2-0. Greg could not consolidate the break in his next service game, allowing Mott to break back and wrest the initiative away from Greg, then holding serve to level at 2-2. Greg tried all he could to force another break point opportunity but Mott held firm with some good serving. 

Blake Mott

Games went with serve to 4-4 then Greg, serving with the last game of the old balls, was forced to break-point by Mott, who converted to take a 5-4 lead. Greg managed to save one set point in Mott's next game but was unable to prevent Mott serving out the set 6-4, for a one set lead.
Again serving first, with the new balls, Greg held serve, broke Mott as he did in the first set but this time consolidated, holding his serve to go 3-0 up. At this point in the set Mott took an injury time out but did not appear in trouble on resumption of play, quickly serving to 40-0. Mott battled gamely to get the service break back but this time it was Greg who held firm, games going to 5-3, with Greg serving for the set. Mott then saved two set points to force Greg to deuce and then a break-point. Greg responded, saving the break-point and closing out the set 6-3. One set all... and the temperature was building but the wind was strong and blustery.
The third set commenced with young Mott serving first and he seized the moment, holding serve and then breaking Greg to lead 3-0. Greg held serve to get to 1-3,  then Mott held for 1-4 and things were looking ominous for Greg. But he dug deep and responded to the situation, holding serve for 2-4 and then forced Mott to face two break points at 15-40 in the next game, converting at the first opportunity, to get back on-serve at 3-4. He still had work to do, to consolidate, and he did so to level the score at 4-4. Nervous service games challenged Greg at both 4-5 down and 5-6 down but he played solid tennis to get the set to the tie-break at 6-6.
In the tie-break Mott, serving first, grabbed an early lead, getting a mini-break to lead 3-1. Greg hit back and ensured they swopped ends at 3-3, holding the next serve to lead 4-3. Mott held his two serves to get to 4-4, then 5-4 and have Greg serving to catch up and stay on serve. Greg did so, levelling at 5-5, then going 6-5 up, putting pressure on Mott to hold serve to stay in the match, at match point. A relieved Greg won that point and the tie-break 7-5, winning the match 4-6, 6-3, 7-6(5).
It was a very closely contested match, with Mott playing the match of his life, swinging freely with no pressure on him, serving well and playing consistent tennis from the baseline, forcing Greg to come up with the winners. Greg used all his experience to stay close to Mott, to create opportunites and take them, in getting out of jail, and winning at the death, to advance to the semi finals of the singles. Whew that was close.

Australasian Spring - Sydney #2

The draw gods had smiled upon Greg for the first two round of this Sydney Futures tournament. Having played a qualifier in the first round, Greg was now up a against the winner of two qualifiers who had played against each other in the first round. The winner was young 19 year-old Calum Puttergill from Brisbane, currently unranked in the ATP but who has had a ranking of 1668 in the past.
With Puttergill serving first Greg was quick to stamp his dominance on the match, breaking Puttergill and then holding serve to lead 2-0. He broke Puttergill twice more to lead the first set 5-0. Greg then served out the set, winning it 6-0. 

Calum Puttergill at Melbourne Park

In a long game to start the second set Puttergill managed to save four break points but was unable to stop Greg converting the fifth opportunity to lead 1-0, then hold serve for a 2-0 lead. A relieved Puttergill finally held serve and got his name on the scoreboard for 2-1, but a rampant Greg held serve then pegged Puttergill back from 40-15 to get to deuce and then again bring up break-point and convert to lead 4-1 with a double break. He eased off and held serve after a deuce game, to go to 5-1, then served out the set at 5-2 to win the set 6-2, and a match in which he dominated 6-0, 6-2.
Greg had played well, on a hot day, keeping the match short and saving energy for the next round. He gave up only nine points on his serve and did not face one break point, going to deuce only once. A job well done.

 

Australasian Spring - Sydney #1



After an intensive two week training session in Melbourne, mainly at Melbourne Park on the indoor courts due to the rainy and windy conditions, it was back to Sydney for Greg to play in a Futures tournament. Not his first choice of tournaments, Greg was playing the Futures tournament rather than travel back to the USA just for a couple of weeks before playing Challengers back in Melbourne and Asia. It would hopefully give him some valuable match time.


Greg training at Homebush

Seeded No. 1 for the tournament, Greg got a favourable draw in the form of a qualifier, in this instance 17 year old Andrej Lukic, as yet unranked on the ATP tour. An unfortunate draw for young Lukic hoping to gain his first ranking point.In blustery, windy conditions, Greg was asked  to serve first. Greg held serve easily and then broke Lukic, to lead 2-0, then held serve to love, to get to 3-0. Lukic upped his game and held serve but another love service game, followed by another break of serve, saw Greg serve for the set at 5-1. He finished the set off with an ace, winning the set 6-1.
With Lukic serving first in the second set, games went to 1-1, Greg then forced Lukic to face multiple break points. He stepped up and saved three break opportunities before a net cord off an angled shot by Greg gave Greg the break and a 2-1 lead. Three aces, a double fault and an unreturnable first serve saw Greg progress to 3-1.


Greg serving to Lukic

In the next game Greg again forced Lukic to face multiple break points but was frustrated by an erratic Lukic saving them with some excellent line shots, eventually holding serve in a long deuce game. Greg took the score to 4-2 and then repeated the long game on Lukic's next service game, this time a frustrated Greg converting to gain the break on the fourth break point opportunity, for a 5-2 lead. Greg finished the match, as he did the 1st set, with an ace, for a comfortable 6-1, 6-2 win.An easy start for Greg in the tournament, in blustery windy conditions, which inhibited Greg's big game style but seemed to trouble his less experienced opponent more. Greg will play his second round on Wednesday.

Australasian Spring - Kuala Lumpur #2

Waiting for Greg in the second round of qualifying was the No.1 seed ,35 year-old American Michael Russell, currently ranked 97 with a high ranking of 60 achieved in 2007. In a rematch of their final in Manta, Greg's resolve will again be tested against a very consistent baseline player who wears his opponent down with unerring accuracy, relying on creating errors rather than hitting outright winners.

Michael Russell serving

Russell served first and both players held serve confidently. Then at 2-1 Russell forced Greg to 15-40. Greg responded and saved those points but could not get to game point, saving another three break points before Russell managed to break Greg and lead 3-1. Greg hit back immediately in the next game, Russell having to save two break points to get to deuce but then being unable to save again, Greg breaking him to get to 2-3, then holding for 3-3. Russell held to love then brought up set point on another breakpoint on Greg's serve. Greg saved and brought up game point, but Russell was not to be denied and broke Greg, to lead 5-3. He then served out the set to win the set 6-3.

Greg plays a fore-hand

Greg started the second set serving at 20% but still managed to hold before he surprisingly broke Russell to lead 2-0. Improving his serve percentage all set Greg held for 3-0, then applied pressure on Russell, breaking him again to lead 4-0, with a double break. Two aces in the next game saw Greg progress to 5-0. Greg would have loved to break Russell again to seal the set and serve first in the third set but Russell held for 5-1. He then got Greg to 0-40 and broke Greg, to peg back one service break and get to 5-2. Greg again responded and broke Russell again to win the set 6-2 and level the match at one set all.

Russell showing the pressure

As in the final in Manta this match was going all the way again, this time with Greg serving first. He started well but at 30-15 in the first game missed a mid court put-a-way off fore-hand shot which instead of going for a winner, hit the top of the net and Russell pounced to win the point. 30-30 instead of 40-15. He then broke Greg to lead 1-0. Greg fought back in the next game, bringing up two separate break points but Russell saved both and held serve for 2-0. Greg held for 2-1 then forced Russell to 0-40, breaking on the second opportunity to level the score at 2-2.

Russell at full stretch

Unfortunately the next game was a mirror of that game and Russell broke Greg to love, to again take the ascendency to lead 3-2 with a break advantage. Greg bounced back immediately and broke Russell again to level at 3-3, games then going to 4-4. Russell then brought up breakpoint on Greg's serve. Greg saved to get to deuce, then his advantage, but could not close out the game, Russell again breaking Greg to lead 5-4 and serve for the match. Greg was not done, getting Russell to 0-40 and three chances to break back. Russell responded saving all three points with some good serving and then brought up match point, and after a long rally won the set 6-4 and a long hard fought match 6-3, 2-6, 6-4. More disappointment for Greg, in another close match against a top 100 player, having opportunities to go on and win the match. He had not served to the best of his ability and had made errors at critical times, to take the pressure off Russell and allow him to sneak away with the win.
Greg will now return to Melbourne for a couple of weeks training before playing the Australian circuit in October.