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Old 02-16-2016, 06:05 AM   #256
Brian Swartz
Grizzled Veteran
 
Join Date: May 2006
2043 US Open

Girish Girsh is back down to 6th, as Pierce Gaskell leapfrogged him by making the Cincy semifinals. Practically speaking this is irrelevant, but it would be nice to put the American in the rearview mirror decisively.

Girsh had his first potential slipup in the third round. He had a chance to go deep here, but there were some landmines beginning with Olav Birkeland, who beat him in three out of four meetings last year, contributing to Girsh's slow start in '52. This was their first encounter this year, and while it was close at first he pulled through in straight sets, 7-6(5), 7-6(2), 6-2. Bullet dodged. Then came Radek Smitala, who had taken him down just a few weeks ago in the Washington semis. It's the third contest between this pair, all this year, with Girsh's win coming in a tough four-setter back in the Australian Open quarters. He cruised through in straight sets for some revenge of a sort. Meanwhile, upsets allowed Anil Mehul to finish out the first week without so much as playing a Top-20 opponent. Only one of his matches was even remotely competitive.

And so both players reached the real stage without the loss of a set. Girsh had a big opportunity going up against Cestmir Marcek. The next big goal for him was to reach 4th, and Marcek is the man holding that spot, nearly 2k ahead in the points. He's been remarkable, and remarkably consistent despite having somewhat inferior skills. It didn't start out well for Girsh, dropping the first and third sets, but once he found his footing he was clearly the better player. After a topsy-turvy match that went the distance, he found himself standing at the end 3-6, 6-2, 4-6, 6-3, 6-3. Meanwhile, Mehul got by Gaskell routinely in straight sets, aided by the top-ranked US player having overplayed fairly criminally coming in.

In the semifinals, Girsh had his dozenth meeting with Antonin Iglar. He started off well, stealing the first set and having a number of chances in the second, but the world no. 1 pulled it out and asserted himself from there out for a 5-7, 6-4, 6-2, 6-3 final. Still, it was the first set the Czech had dropped here, and more fight than Girsh has showed in most of their matches. He's getting there, but there's still work to do. On the other side, Mehul went up against Bjorn Benda. Who else? The German's strong form of recent months continued, but it wasn't enough; Mehul remained perfect, 6-4, 7-6(5), 6-4. It really wasn't that close, other than the fact that Benda did just enough with his serve to hold consistently.

And so the highly anticipated final arrived. The 28th meeting between Iglar and Mehul, the legend holding a rather one-sided 19-8 edge but three of the last four had not gone his way. The winner would be ranked #1 in the world. For the first time in the nearly three years since he took the top spot, Iglar had to defend it.

Mehul was down a break early in the first and lost it, but got on top right away in the second to strike back. Message sent: this would be no easy road for the champ. At 4-2, he saved one BP at 15-40 but not the second, and Iglar got things back on serve. Then a disastrous game at 5-all handed the second set and most likely the match back to the four-time defending champion.

Mehul repeated his fast start, breaking quickly to start the third. He could still start a comeback if he stayed strong on his own service games. He cruised his way through this time, but certainly the legend would respond in the fourth set. And that's just what happened, Iglar held after two deuces in the opening game, then at 15-40 on his turn Mehul saved one break chance but double-faulted on the second. The count ran to 5-0, Iglar just a game away from the title, before he responded. One break down is one thing, two is too much and the second set reversal was the haunting key in a 6-4, 7-5, 1-6, 6-3 win for the Czech. Five straight US Open titles for him, and he narrowly retains the #1 spot at least for now.

As the rankings will show, the year-end #1 is still very much up for grabs however, something that hasn't been true at this point in the season for nearly a decade; either Alastra or Iglar has had a stranglehold on it for some time.

The uphill climb against Germany, a repeat of last year's final, is up next in the quarterfinals as the WTC resumes.
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