27th September 1998- Victory Complete
Tim completed a superb victory for British Tennis when he beat Leander Paes in straight sets today. The result puts Britain into the World Group of this team competition for next year. The result though did mean that Greg was not needed for the final rubber, instead Chris Wilkinson substituted for him. Chris performed well but could not overcome the confident Bhupathi. Both players though really showed more interest in entertaining the crowd than the actual result.
25th September - Davis Cup Kicks Off
Britains Davis cup tie with India kicked off in dramatic fashion for Greg as he battled through to beat opponent Leander Paes. Twice Greg was a set down in this five set thriller, and still mamaged to drop his serve three times in the final set before coming through 11-9. The result must have done nothing for Paes morale having held a match point, but did everything to ensure GB went in to the rest of the tie with heads held high.
How many times though recently have we seen the fight of Rusedski bring him through when some of his technique evaded him ? As John Parsons respected tennis journalist of the Telegraph writes "Overall, Rusedski's performance exceeded the courage involved at Flushing Meadows as by his his standards he wass not playing particularly well".
Tim Henman completed a straightforward win over Bhupathi to put us 2-0 up going into today's doubles. Tim and Neil Broad are the named pair for this match but this could change anything up to an hour before the match. It wouldn't be impossible that Greg could partner Tim as they have done twice before if both players feel they have the fitness to manage. Bhupathi and Paes though are the 3rd best doubles pair in the world......
6th September - Happy 25th Birthday to Greg
5th September - We are Proud
Greg's energy supplies, but not his desire, finally run out last night as he lost in five sets to Jan Siemerink of Holland. But in doing so he set an outstanding example to all of us, including fellow top-tenners, of true determination and sportsmanship. He played nearly two full sets of Tennis with severely restsricted mobility, but never once beleived he was going to lose. Never once did his determination leave hime. Never once did he ask a Physio for treatment.
For the first three sets he played a little wearily but was moving well enough to take a 2:1 advantage into the fourth. It was here though that the endeavours of the previous few days showed. Siemerink hit him with a break early on in the set, and it soon became apparent that Greg's mobility was so impaired that trying to recover even one break was going to be fruitless. Sensibly he did just enough to ensure he would start serving in the fifth.
It was in that last set, Greg's FIFTEENTH since Tuesday, that Greg showed more determination that you could beleive. Four times he held his serve, struggling hard to get into the net behind a reduced speed delivery. Meanwhile Siemerink was winning his service games very convincingly - a hard pill for Rusedski to swallow. At 4-4 just when it looked like Greg's plan of waiting for the lottery of a tiebreak to sneak in might work, Siemerink pieced together enough of a game to break.
At 30-0 and 5-4 the match looked over as Greg walked slowly along the baseline. But no, a twist was yet to come. Greg not only forced the game to deuce but saved three match points as well. It needed a fourth set ace from Siemerink to win the fourteenth point of the game and in turn the match, and a fourth round tie with Bjorkman.
3rd September - Five Sets of Pure Fight - Yet Again
Once more Greg battled through five sets of tough tennis to win his place in the next round of the US Open. On Tuesday Ferreira was the victim today Bohdan Ulihrach caught the backlash of Greg's gritty display. In the Third Round Greg will play Siemerink or Hrbaty, but for now a day of rest will go down well - for fans and player alike.
1st September - Five Sets of Pure Fight
Greg came through his first round encounter with the South African Wayne Ferreira in amazing fashion. Throughout the match he looked down and out and was clearly struggling to find his form. Ferreira was points away from taking a two sets to love lead, and then had points to win it in the fourth. Greg though kept battling back to take it in the fifth and final set with a tiebreak looming.
With a top ten ranking to defend and his place as British number one Greg regularly looked under pressure but somehow found what he needed when it mattered most. He was not helped by a bad blister on his left foot - which required treatment between the second and third sets.
Quote of the tournament so far, by Chris Bailey (British commentator for Sky Sports) when Greg missed a simple overhead two points fom the end of the match : "My Gran could have got that and she's dead!"