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Brian Swartz · 11-04-2015, 11:15 PM

I'm not sure what it is about the USO that is cursed or something. This is at least the second year in a row that a RL work crisis of some sort has prevented me getting the update up in a timely fashion. Once again it's a week late in game terms, so the World Team Cup QF -- though not as important this year with Sri Lanka not participating -- which take place the week after have already been completed.

US Open

As is my custom we begin with Girsh Girsh, who did not play here last year, electing to take the title in the tier-3 Bangkok Challenger. The year before he lost in the first round, so he comes in seeking his first win at Flushing Meadows. As the 25th-seed, Girsh dropped just a single game against an American wild-card to get started. With John Condon, a clay specialist not expected to do well here anyway, the highest seed to lose in the first round his path was cleared and there were no challenges all the way through to the fourth round, already the furthest progression he's yet made in a Slam event!

There awaited Anil Mehul, whose lone resistance had come from Bonamoni and that only in one tight set. I knew it would happen eventually; Mehul and Girsh in a competitive match. They've played in practice events a few times recently, and contested hundreds of friendly matches, especially over the past year or so as they've become each other's most useful hitting partners. In recent months, Girsh has taken a number of sets and pushed Mehul on many occasions, but he has never won any of these matches. Not once. The gap between the players, at this point, is such that Girsh has a very small chance if everything goes his way, just barely good enough to be a danger.

This was Girsh's first round of 16 appearance at a major event, while Mehul would equal last year's QF finish if he won as expected. The first set went his way easily, but Girsh grabbed an early break in the second and, more surprisingly, held onto it. The third was very competitive as well, but the younger player double-faulted on the first set point against him, and Mehul seized the momentum to finish off the match. 6-2, 4-6, 6-4, 6-2 was the final.

In the quarters, a 10th meeting with Julian Hammerstein awaited. In the past couple of years, neither player has won two in a row and Mehul took the last one in the Canada semis just a few weeks ago. That didn't stop him from taking a good first set, and he looked to be in control of the second as well. Serving at 5-4, 30-0, just two points away from a 2-0 sets lead, he completely fell apart. A few minutes later, he'd dropped three straight games and the set to let Hammerstein level the match. A tense third had no breaks and went to a tiebreak. Back and forth it went, Mehul had a set point on Hammerstein's serve but didn't convert, then couldn't hold him off when the tables were flipped. After falling behind an early break in the fourth, he had only one chance to break back and couldn't get it done. Hammerstein advances in a tough loss for Mehul, 3-6, 7-5, 7-6(8), 6-4.

Hammerstein's serve was ridiculous -- 33 aces, the most Mehul has ever surrendered -- and he converted 4 of 7 with Mehul only getting 3 breaks despite nearly twice the chances(13). The Austrian had to serve 27 more points as Mehul put more pressure on his serve, winning nearly half of the returns he put in play, but it wasn't enough. As much as it ever has been, the mental edge of the Austrian was definitely shown here. A tight and high-quality match. Iglar awaited regardless, so at least it is not a loss of huge consequence. In their personal rivalry, Mehul and Hammerstein have now split 8 hard-court meetings, with the Austrian holding the overall edge 6-4 due to taking both clay encounters. The overall trend is on Mehul's side, but I don't think he has quite yet made up the gap between them. It's definitely an entertaining matchup to watch as both continue to rise and you never know who will when they match up.

On the other side of the bracket, Goncharenko stunned Benda in straight sets while Alvarez outlasted Hogue in five, setting up a very surprising matchup. Neither had made the semis here before -- not even the quarters for Alvarez -- and one would be an underdog finalist! Antonin Iglar went on to win the title as predicted, never dropping a set though Goncharenko did force him to one tough tiebreak in the final.

In Other News

At the Pancevo Tier-2, Prakash Mooljee did well in taking the doubles crown and making it to the final in singles. Zakirov beat him again there but it was his best result to date.

11-04-2015, 11:15 PM	#178
Brian Swartz Grizzled Veteran Join Date: May 2006	I'm not sure what it is about the USO that is cursed or something. This is at least the second year in a row that a RL work crisis of some sort has prevented me getting the update up in a timely fashion. Once again it's a week late in game terms, so the World Team Cup QF -- though not as important this year with Sri Lanka not participating -- which take place the week after have already been completed. US Open As is my custom we begin with Girsh Girsh, who did not play here last year, electing to take the title in the tier-3 Bangkok Challenger. The year before he lost in the first round, so he comes in seeking his first win at Flushing Meadows. As the 25th-seed, Girsh dropped just a single game against an American wild-card to get started. With John Condon, a clay specialist not expected to do well here anyway, the highest seed to lose in the first round his path was cleared and there were no challenges all the way through to the fourth round, already the furthest progression he's yet made in a Slam event! There awaited Anil Mehul, whose lone resistance had come from Bonamoni and that only in one tight set. I knew it would happen eventually; Mehul and Girsh in a competitive match. They've played in practice events a few times recently, and contested hundreds of friendly matches, especially over the past year or so as they've become each other's most useful hitting partners. In recent months, Girsh has taken a number of sets and pushed Mehul on many occasions, but he has never won any of these matches. Not once. The gap between the players, at this point, is such that Girsh has a very small chance if everything goes his way, just barely good enough to be a danger. This was Girsh's first round of 16 appearance at a major event, while Mehul would equal last year's QF finish if he won as expected. The first set went his way easily, but Girsh grabbed an early break in the second and, more surprisingly, held onto it. The third was very competitive as well, but the younger player double-faulted on the first set point against him, and Mehul seized the momentum to finish off the match. 6-2, 4-6, 6-4, 6-2 was the final. In the quarters, a 10th meeting with Julian Hammerstein awaited. In the past couple of years, neither player has won two in a row and Mehul took the last one in the Canada semis just a few weeks ago. That didn't stop him from taking a good first set, and he looked to be in control of the second as well. Serving at 5-4, 30-0, just two points away from a 2-0 sets lead, he completely fell apart. A few minutes later, he'd dropped three straight games and the set to let Hammerstein level the match. A tense third had no breaks and went to a tiebreak. Back and forth it went, Mehul had a set point on Hammerstein's serve but didn't convert, then couldn't hold him off when the tables were flipped. After falling behind an early break in the fourth, he had only one chance to break back and couldn't get it done. Hammerstein advances in a tough loss for Mehul, 3-6, 7-5, 7-6(8), 6-4. Hammerstein's serve was ridiculous -- 33 aces, the most Mehul has ever surrendered -- and he converted 4 of 7 with Mehul only getting 3 breaks despite nearly twice the chances(13). The Austrian had to serve 27 more points as Mehul put more pressure on his serve, winning nearly half of the returns he put in play, but it wasn't enough. As much as it ever has been, the mental edge of the Austrian was definitely shown here. A tight and high-quality match. Iglar awaited regardless, so at least it is not a loss of huge consequence. In their personal rivalry, Mehul and Hammerstein have now split 8 hard-court meetings, with the Austrian holding the overall edge 6-4 due to taking both clay encounters. The overall trend is on Mehul's side, but I don't think he has quite yet made up the gap between them. It's definitely an entertaining matchup to watch as both continue to rise and you never know who will when they match up. On the other side of the bracket, Goncharenko stunned Benda in straight sets while Alvarez outlasted Hogue in five, setting up a very surprising matchup. Neither had made the semis here before -- not even the quarters for Alvarez -- and one would be an underdog finalist! Antonin Iglar went on to win the title as predicted, never dropping a set though Goncharenko did force him to one tough tiebreak in the final. In Other News At the Pancevo Tier-2, Prakash Mooljee did well in taking the doubles crown and making it to the final in singles. Zakirov beat him again there but it was his best result to date.