[Brian Swartz]

Canada Masters

There wasn't time to reflect on the Olympic week for long. Girish Girsh had a bit more trouble than anticipated with Manfred Borrman(SWE) in his second-round match, but got through it 6-4, 7-6(1). Next up was a chance against American 8-seed Perry Mockler, but he couldn't quite get through after a good start and lost, 2-6, 7-6(4), 6-3. Mockler got better as the match went on, and once the second-set tiebreak went against him it was pretty much over.

Anil Mehul cruised through to the quarters, where he was Mockler's next foe. The American seized on his only break chance to force a tiebreak in the first set, but it was still a fairly smooth straight-sets affair for Mehul. Benda was next, the German having the advantage in terms of rest, but it wasn't enough as Mehul kept on going, 7-5, 6-3. That left Iglar v. Mehul XX as the final, and after dropping a tough tiebreak in the opening set it was clear the upset wouldn't happen. 7-6(6), 6-2, a good event for both men but the Czech no. 1 takes the title here and Anil didn't have enough left to defend his crown from a year ago.

Cincinatti Masters

Girsh had the misfortune of having Birkeland in his draw again, this time in the second round. The Swedish hardcourt specialist has been his kryptonite this year, knocking him out both in Australia and the Olympics, but this time Girsh got the better of him, 6-4, 7-6(4). It could have gone either way again, much like before he was the superior player but only by a hair. In this case, he converted 2 of 3 break chances against 1 of 3 for Birkeland in a serve-dominated match.

No. 4 Perry Hogue awaited next. Girsh has come up just short time after time against Top-10 competition, but this time the ever-consistent veteran American didn't have quite enough. The opening set was key, with Girsh taking a tense tiebreaker, then after dropping the second, playing a decisive third well for a 7-6(7), 3-6, 6-2 victory! Hogue was the more consistent player over the course of the match, but some loose service games at the beginning of the third cost him badly and Girsh moved on to the quarterfinals, his first appearance at this stage in a big event. He had a good chance to progress further; his foe was Cestmir Marcek, not as tough an out as Hogue usually, but he was firing on all cylinders and won 7-5, 6-3, out-acing Girsh 13-7 and converting 4 of 5 break chances.

For his part, Mehul had a rough start to his third-round match with Andres Blanco, dropping the first set before coming back to win it 4-6, 6-1, 6-4. The same routine played out against Bahana in the quarterfinals, and then in the semis it was rising American Radek Smitala, fresh off back-to-back upsets of Benda and Mockler, looking it to make it three straight. Those thoughts were snuffed out with a tough, focused effort by Mehul, who made it to another final 6-4, 6-4 despite 11 aces by Smitala. Iglar was there once again, and while Anil stole the first set this time he couldn't keep up the pace, losing 4-6, 6-3, 6-0. Still, to make both finals these last couple weeks with as many matches as he's been playing is an excellent achievement.

During the same week as Cincinatti, Prakash Mooljee took his first shot at an amateur event finally, an indoor tournament in Bergen, Norway. Perhaps he waited too long to take the plunge; it was an easy run for him, blasting aside all comers to take the title in both singles and doubles.