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Brian Swartz · 09-25-2015, 05:40 PM

WTC Level 2 Finals
Sri Lanka vs. Italy, Indoor

Monday: A. Mehul d. T. Alberti, 6-1, 6-0, 6-0
Tuesday: G. Girsh d. A. El Brazi, 6-1, 2-6, 6-2, 6-0
Wednesday: G. Girsh/A. Mehul d. X. Jue/A. Lepore, 6-3, 7-6(2), 6-3
Thursday: A. Mehul d. A. El Brazi, 6-1, 6-1, 6-0
Friday: G. Girsh d. T. Alberti, 4-6, 6-2, 6-3, 6-0

Sri Lanka blanks Italy, 5-0!

A fairly easy win was expected, but doubles and Girsh were question marks. We did well on both accounts with my younger player getting a pair of four-set wins. Sri Lanka is the 2040 Level 2 WTC Champion! This victory moves us up another four spots to 26th overall.

And now comes the real test. We were fortunate not to draw Austria in the playoffs next week -- but not that fortunate. Our opponent will be 13th-ranked Peru, which has spent the last four years at Level 1 without once escaping group play; this is the first year in that stretch they've had to defend their position in a playoff though since ascending five years ago. They are rebuilding a bit, with a pair of solid young clay-court specialists, Thiago and Marcelo Herrera. Both are 23 years old, and they are ranked 24th and 50th respectively. Under most circumstances I'd still be fairly confident that we could beat them, but this encounter is on clay, which frankly makes Peru the favorite.

Even if Mehul manages to defeat both of them, Girsh is unlikely to. We'll need a doubles win to have any chance. On any other ground I think we'd have the upper hand, but this will be an uphill battle; and a vital one. If we lose, Sri Lanka will have to toil another year in the 'minors' of Level 2 to earn another chance at reaching the big time. We're good enough to be a Level 1 nation, I think with the current combo we're probably around 10th best in the world. Still have to earn our place though, and in this matchup the deck is stacked heavily against us. I'd say we have perhaps one chance in four of knocking the Peruvians off.

This will be the most important week to date in Sri Lankan tennis: hopefully we can pull something out of the hat.

09-25-2015, 05:40 PM	#147
Brian Swartz Grizzled Veteran Join Date: May 2006	WTC Level 2 Finals Sri Lanka vs. Italy, Indoor Monday: A. Mehul d. T. Alberti, 6-1, 6-0, 6-0 Tuesday: G. Girsh d. A. El Brazi, 6-1, 2-6, 6-2, 6-0 Wednesday: G. Girsh/A. Mehul d. X. Jue/A. Lepore, 6-3, 7-6(2), 6-3 Thursday: A. Mehul d. A. El Brazi, 6-1, 6-1, 6-0 Friday: G. Girsh d. T. Alberti, 4-6, 6-2, 6-3, 6-0 Sri Lanka blanks Italy, 5-0! A fairly easy win was expected, but doubles and Girsh were question marks. We did well on both accounts with my younger player getting a pair of four-set wins. Sri Lanka is the 2040 Level 2 WTC Champion! This victory moves us up another four spots to 26th overall. And now comes the real test. We were fortunate not to draw Austria in the playoffs next week -- but not that fortunate. Our opponent will be 13th-ranked Peru, which has spent the last four years at Level 1 without once escaping group play; this is the first year in that stretch they've had to defend their position in a playoff though since ascending five years ago. They are rebuilding a bit, with a pair of solid young clay-court specialists, Thiago and Marcelo Herrera. Both are 23 years old, and they are ranked 24th and 50th respectively. Under most circumstances I'd still be fairly confident that we could beat them, but this encounter is on clay, which frankly makes Peru the favorite. Even if Mehul manages to defeat both of them, Girsh is unlikely to. We'll need a doubles win to have any chance. On any other ground I think we'd have the upper hand, but this will be an uphill battle; and a vital one. If we lose, Sri Lanka will have to toil another year in the 'minors' of Level 2 to earn another chance at reaching the big time. We're good enough to be a Level 1 nation, I think with the current combo we're probably around 10th best in the world. Still have to earn our place though, and in this matchup the deck is stacked heavily against us. I'd say we have perhaps one chance in four of knocking the Peruvians off. This will be the most important week to date in Sri Lankan tennis: hopefully we can pull something out of the hat. Last edited by Brian Swartz : 09-25-2015 at 05:43 PM.