[Brian Swartz]

2043 Australian Open

Last year Mehul reached his second straight final here, while Girsh lost in the third round to Birkeland. It would be his worst Slam result of the '52 campaign, and he's hoping for better.

Both players got through their first few rounds easily; Girsh lost a tiebreak to rising American Gareth McCuskey but controlled the rest of the match, while Mehul was on cruise control. In the fourth round, he smacked down Birkeland in straight sets. Girsh Girsh, however, had a date with Bjorn Benda. At this stage in their respective careers, Girsh has reason to be optimistic on hardcourt. An opportunity here to prove last year's Paris QF win was no fluke.

Benda asserted his will right away as Girsh came out flat, and the first set was over quickly. Down a break in the second, he fought back but crumbled at the end. When he went down again in the third set, it looked over. He got back to even again at 4-4 though, and this time he wouldn't give it up, breaking again in the 12th game to take the set and stay alive. From there it was a matter of Benda's experience and big serve going up against Girsh's superior shotmaking from the baseline. He forced a 5th set fairly easily, and in the decider both players had chances early, particularly the German veteran. The tide slowly turned and things went Girsh's way at the end. He was held off for a while, but eventually pulled through 1-6, 4-6, 7-5, 6-3, 8-6. A fantastic, and potentially season-defining 'changing of the guard' moment here as he pulls off a dramatic comeback after trailing by two sets and a break to the 5-time Slam champion and former no. 1. It is just the second time in the last 5 years that Benda failed to reach the second week of a Slam(Wimbledon two years ago, l. Goncharenko was the other). And for Girsh, it is his first trip that far.

Anil Mehul had his first potential test of the tournament in the quarters, but he's dominated Pierce Gaskell, winning 10 of 11 career meetings including the past seven over a period of more than three years. Many have been in straight sets. After a quick opening-set bagel, it looked like more of the same. And then Gaskell had other ideas, quickly evening the match and then eking out the third to move one set from what would be a very disappointing defeat for Mehul. The fourth went to a tiebreak, and it was close but Anil pulled through, eventually prevailing 6-0, 2-6, 5-7, 7-6(5), 6-4. That was tight. Too tight, but Gaskell is the kind of player who, despite what is now an 11-1 count in the head-to-head, does have the game to beat him on the right day. Major bullet dodged. The American blasted 23 aces and Mehul only got 6 -- he was still the better player but not by much. Need to tune up that serve, that's for sure.

Girsh faced another American ... no, not Hogue, it was the continually impressing Radek Smitala. A tough four-set win later, he joined Mehul in the semis. But they were on opposite sides of the bracket. The junior player met Iglar, and when the dust cleared he'd acquitted himself credibly but still looks for his first set against the legend, losing all three frames 6-4. His countryman went up against the other Czech, Cestmir Marcek. You know, the guy who I've been saying for a year is washed up and on the decline? Yeah, that guy. In his first Slam semifinal. So what do I know? Well, I know enough that he didn't have much chance against Mehul. A let-down in the third set didn't stop that.

So guess what. It's a Slam final, which means Mehul vs. Iglar. Unless it's on clay. Third year in a row for this matchup at the Australian. This time it has a different flavor. Iglar is a tad overplayed and starting to feel the fatigue, whereas in a reversal of how last year ended up, Mehul is now fresh again, finally having caught up in rest. Did this mean he had a chance to pull the upset? Yes, but after splitting a pair of sets, the next two went to tiebreaks. Competitive ones. Both taken by the champion. 6-4, 4-6, 7-6(5), 7-6(5) is the final. Well played, but he takes his 10th Slam crown and Mehul's mantra of 'make it to Iglar' is once again his result.

Girish Girsh could not have asked for a better start to the year, he's 11-1 with Iglar his only defeat and moves up to 9th now, into the Top 10 just ahead of Herrera as Federer is knocked off the first page. It's still a ways to Mockler who holds the final WTF spot and is the gatekeeper to Top-8 seeding, but the year's just started. There's plenty of time.


In other news, Prakash Mooljee rammed his way to another amateur title, though he lost in the doubles quarterfinals. He'll need to play two more, but there's no indication anyone else at this level can challenge him right now. Should be a smooth transition to futures later on in the year.