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Old 02-11-2016, 12:34 AM   #254
Brian Swartz
Grizzled Veteran
 
Join Date: May 2006
July/August

The post-Wimbly break didn't have much activity as usual. Girish Girsh did head off to the Washington 500(Hard) the week before the late summer Masters started up as he was low on matches and needed to sharpen up his game. He was the 2-seed, with no. 5 Gaskell the top seed. A collision in the final seemed basically inevitable, and if Girsh won he would move past the American into 5th in the rankings.

After a bye and three virtual walk-overs, he met another US player, Radek Smitala, in the semifinals. Smitala, more athletic and a brilliant hardcourt player, pulled the upset 7-6(8), 6-4 by relentlessly and ruthlessly attacking Girsh's second serve. It was not a horrendous loss, but still a rather large disappointment. Smitala went on to upset Gaskell in the final as well though, allowing Girsh to move up to 5th anyway.

The Canada/Cincinatti Masters are up next.
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