Alastair Gray in the 2020 British Tour
Alastair Gray in the 2020 British Tour | (Photo by Alex Davidson/Getty Images for LTA)

Tennis | Challenger & ITF Round Up | Alastair Gray makes final of ITF Trimbach

By Glenys Furnes

  • Alastair Gray made the final in Switzerland
  • Brit defeated top seed along the way
TRIMBACH, SWITZERLAND – Alastair Gray entered the ITF event and was the fourth seed. The Brit made the final defeating the top seed along the way.

 

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Brit of the Week

Alastair Gray entered the ITF event in Trimbach and was the fourth seed. In the first round the Brit was against Raphael Calzi. The Luxembourger pushed Gray all the way in the first set, forcing a tiebreak. Calzi stayed close to Gray at the start of the breaker, but eventually the Brit got the break and took the set. This seemed to break the Luxembourger, as the Brit dominated the second set. Gray moved into the next round in straight sets 7-6(4), 6-1.

The second round saw the Brit against Ukranian Georgii Kravchenko. The fourth seed dominated the first set, losing only one game. The Ukranian regrouped in the second set and broke Gray to level up the match. In the final set Gray dominated again and moved into the quarter-final 6-1, 3-6, 6-2.

In the quarter-final the Brit was against the sixth seed Dan Added. The Frenchman dominated the first set, breaking Gray to take the lead. The fourth seed regrouped and dominated the second set to level up the match. The final set was very close. Both players fought hard and forced a tiebreak. In the breaker the Brit edged ahead and took the match 2-6, 6-2, 7-6(5).

The semi-final saw the Brit against the top seed Daniel Masur. The German broke Gray in the first set and took the lead. The fourth seed fought back in the second set and forced a tiebreak. In the breaker Gray dominated and levelled up the match. The final set saw Gray break the serve of the top seed to move into the final 3-6, 7-6(3), 6-4.

In the final the Brit was against Swiss Leandro Riedi. The Swiss dominated the match from start to finish. Gray tried to get back on terms, but was unable to get into the match. Riedi took the title 6-2, 6-2.

 

Honourable Mention

Billy Harris entered the ITF event in Antalya, Turkey and was the eighth seed. In the first round the Brit was against Mert Ramadan. The Brit managed to break the serve of the Bulgarian in the first set and take the lead. The second set was much the same, as Ramadan was unable to break the serve of the Brit and Harris moved into the next round 6-4, 6-3.

The second round saw the Brit against Savva Polukhin. The unseeded player dominated the first set, as the Brit struggled on serve. However, Harris regrouped in the second set, fighting hard and forced a tiebreak. Harris dominated the breaker and levelled up the match. The final set looked to be heading to a tiebreak as well, but the Brit broke Polukhin just at the end of the set to move into the next round 1-6, 7-6(3), 7-5.

In the quarter-final the Brit was against Nerman Fatic. Harris and Fatic stayed toe to toe, but eventually the Brit managed to get the break of serve against Fatic and take the lead. Fatic then retired after the first set, handing Harris the match 6-4(RET).

The semi-final pitched Harris against Vlacheslav Bielinskyi. The eighth seed managed to get the break of serve against the Ukranian and took the lead. Bielinskyi fought back in the second set, breaking the Brit serve and levelled up the match. The final set saw Harris dominate and took the spot in the final 6-4, 3-6, 6-1.

In the final the Brit was against the seventh seed Oleksii Krutykh. The Ukranian broke serve in the first set and took the lead. In the second set Harris managed to break the serve of Krutykh and level up the match. Unfortunately, the Ukranian dominated the set and took the title 6-4, 4-6, 6-2.

 

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Challenger & ITF Round Up

Billy Blaydes was defeated by Vlacheslav Bielinskyi in the first round in Antalya 6-4, 7-6(4).

Felix Gill was defeated by Alexander Weis in the second round in Antalya 6-2, 3-6, 6-1.

Sonay Kartal was defeated by Diana Shnaider in the quarter-final in Antalya 6-1, 6-2.

Liam Broady was defeated by Daniel Altmaier in the semi-final in Phoenix 7-6, 7-5.

Paul Jubb was defeated by Hugo Dellien in the second round in Conception 6-1, 2-0 (RET).

Joshua Paris was defeated by Jumpei Yamasaki in the first round in Loule 6-3, 6-1.

Stuart Parker was defeated by Benjamin Winter Lopez in the first round in Loule 7-6(4), 6-4.

Jan Choinski was defeated by Anton Matusevich in the second round in Loule 3-6, 6-3, 7-6(1).

Anton Matusevich was defeated by Alejandro Moro Canas in the quarter-final in Loule 6-4, 6-1.

Henry Patten was defeated by Rinky Hijikata in the first round in Bakersfield 6-7(4), 7-6(8), 6-1.

Charles Broom was defeated by Isaiah Strode in the first round in Bakersfield 6-3, 7-6(3).

Jack Pinnington-Jones was defeated by Julian Lenz in the first round in Bakersfield 6-4, 6-4.

Ben Jones was defeated by Nam Hoang Ly in the first round in Poitiers 6-3, 6-3.

Harry Wendelken was defeated by Dan Little in the first round in Poitiers 6-3, 7-5.

Dan Little was defeated by Pierre Delage in the quarter-final in Poitiers 6-3, 6-4.

Emilie Lindh was defeated by Anouk Koevermans in the first round in Monastir 5-2 (RET).

Eliz Maloney was defeated by Ines Ibbou in the second round in Monastir 6-4, 4-6, 6-2.

Amanda Carreras was defeated by Guiomar Maristany Zuleta de Reales in the second round in Palmanova 6-1, 6-4.

Alice Gillan was defeated by Liu Fangzhou in the first round in Sharm El Sheikh 6-1, 6-3.

Anna Brogan was defeated by Eudice Chong in the semi-final in Sharm El Shiekh 6-3, 4-6, 6-3.

Next Week Brits play in Miami, Biel, Santa Cruz, Portugal, Croatia, USA, Columbia, France, Turkey, Tunisia, India, Australia, Egypt and Spain.

 

 

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