Have fun and enjoy, BiP!

Not to be for Alex today as he was edged out 8-6 in a 2nd set tiebreak

Now that I have a computer to type on and not just an iPhone with dodgy Wifi, here is a little perspective on yesterday's match.

By his own admission, Alex didn't play very well in the 1st set. Too many UE's and he really just couldn't get his game together. He fought hard to get to 2-2 but from there, Pavic ran away with the set without really having to work very hard.

At the start of the 2nd, Alex regrouped and fought hard to hold in his first couple of service games. It still wasn't easy but he hung in there as he looked for some form. Suddenly it came to him in the next game and for the first time in the match, the Pavic serve came under pressure and Alex broke him to lead *3-1. But at the crucial moment, the errors crept back in and in the next game, a missed forehand and 2 DFs proved costly as Pavic broke straight back.

With both players on even terms at last, the game moved forward to *4-4 without much alarm for either player. In the next game, Alex got an horrendous line call which cost him and momentarily broke his concentration and he went 0-40 down. But two big serves and some great baseline hitting however saw Alex win 5 points in a row for a massive hold. In his next service game, he also came from behind, this time 0-30. Pavic on the other hand really upped his serve and in his last 3 service games, I think he only missed 1 first serve.

Into a tiebreak, where Alex soon found himself 5-1 down. On the next point, a Pavic came in behind a big first serve to Alex's backhand, only for Alex to "shank" the perfect lob winner on the return. At that moment I began to wonder if it might just be Alex's day. He fought back, saving 2 MPs and got to 6-6 for the change of ends. Unfortunately, now hitting downwind, a backhand slice drifted a couple of inches long and Pavic finished the match off with another big serve and volley.

So to be fair, a bit of a mixed bag from Alex. Pavic is certainly under-ranked in singles, so no shame in defeat and there was enough from Alex at times to show that he definitely has the ability to go higher.

Alex is off to the States shortly for a 7 week stint, including a brief trip down to Mexico.

Thank your brother from us all Bob, a great report