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Brian Swartz · 11-08-2015, 04:43 PM

Shanghai Masters

Girish Girsh easily stormed through a qualifier in the first round ... and then drew Mehul in the second. They hadn't played a competitive match once, and now a second time in six weeks. Go figure. This time it wasn't as close, 6-1, 6-4.

Anil Mehul's next match was even easier, and then in the quarters he expected Marcek but instead got American Radek Smitala. The unseeded 24-year-old was the surprise quarterfinalist of the tournament. He put up a fight, but Mehul pushed him aside 7-6(2), 6-3. Again his path was cleared as Iglar was supposed to be next, but as in Canada was an upset victim, this time of Perry Hogue in a third-set tiebreak. With his immensely high standards, this fall now has to be a disappointment. They played a strange semi-final that went the distance though none of the sets was close. Mehul advanced 6-1, 2-6, 6-2. It's his second straight win over Hogue on the American's preferred surface: perhaps he's close to mastering him after four straight losses prior.

This time there was no upset on the other side, with Benda waiting and looking very sharp. Mehul was under pressure immediately in the final, but escaped a break point and avoided going down early. There would be only two breaks in the entire match, one each way. A pair of nearly-identical tiebreaks later, he claimed his second Masters Shield with a 7-6(3), 7-6(3) victory, beating Benda for the third time in as many chances this year, though all were on hardcourt. This victory essentially secures the year-end #3 for him, and confirms what his path is now: chasing down the German, bit by bit. With a gap that is still more than four thousand points, it'll be a long chase.

Coming Up ...

Now the hectic finish of the short indoor season is upon us. Mehul will take next week off, while Girsh heads to the Kremlin Cup(250) in Moscow. Both will probably play in one of the 500s the week after, and then the Paris Masters. Girsh needs to get in more matches here, while Mehul has more leeway especially with the tour finals in Finland coming at the end of November. With Sri Lanka having been knocked out of the WTC for the year, the usual scramble to get enough match play for optimal off-season training is a larger goal than any particular points gain.

11-08-2015, 04:43 PM	#183
Brian Swartz Grizzled Veteran Join Date: May 2006	Shanghai Masters Girish Girsh easily stormed through a qualifier in the first round ... and then drew Mehul in the second. They hadn't played a competitive match once, and now a second time in six weeks. Go figure. This time it wasn't as close, 6-1, 6-4. Anil Mehul's next match was even easier, and then in the quarters he expected Marcek but instead got American Radek Smitala. The unseeded 24-year-old was the surprise quarterfinalist of the tournament. He put up a fight, but Mehul pushed him aside 7-6(2), 6-3. Again his path was cleared as Iglar was supposed to be next, but as in Canada was an upset victim, this time of Perry Hogue in a third-set tiebreak. With his immensely high standards, this fall now has to be a disappointment. They played a strange semi-final that went the distance though none of the sets was close. Mehul advanced 6-1, 2-6, 6-2. It's his second straight win over Hogue on the American's preferred surface: perhaps he's close to mastering him after four straight losses prior. This time there was no upset on the other side, with Benda waiting and looking very sharp. Mehul was under pressure immediately in the final, but escaped a break point and avoided going down early. There would be only two breaks in the entire match, one each way. A pair of nearly-identical tiebreaks later, he claimed his second Masters Shield with a 7-6(3), 7-6(3) victory, beating Benda for the third time in as many chances this year, though all were on hardcourt. This victory essentially secures the year-end #3 for him, and confirms what his path is now: chasing down the German, bit by bit. With a gap that is still more than four thousand points, it'll be a long chase. Coming Up ... Now the hectic finish of the short indoor season is upon us. Mehul will take next week off, while Girsh heads to the Kremlin Cup(250) in Moscow. Both will probably play in one of the 500s the week after, and then the Paris Masters. Girsh needs to get in more matches here, while Mehul has more leeway especially with the tour finals in Finland coming at the end of November. With Sri Lanka having been knocked out of the WTC for the year, the usual scramble to get enough match play for optimal off-season training is a larger goal than any particular points gain.