Day 4 Results: Estenger Cruises to Final; Paredes Stuns Khan

Match point in Paredes' 2 hr. 15 minute epic over Khan

Semifinals

1.  (1) Estenger  def  (4) Eagon  6-1, 6-0

2.  (3) Paredes   def  (2) Khan     6-3, 2-6, 7-5 

On a day when the tennis world's attention was divided equally between the events at Roland Garros and at Williamsburg, Brooklyn, the GSC TT saved the best  for last.  For the third time in the five year history of the GSC Tennis Tournament, Max Estenger will meet Segundo Paredes in the Championship Match.   Paredes punched his ticket with a stunning come from behind victory over Yousuf Khan.  The Ebt Senior had taken a commanding 4-1 lead in the third set and was leading at 5-4, but was unable to close out the crafty Peruvian.  It was a devastating loss after Khan had overcome a bad first set to take command of the match by winning 10 out of the next 13 games following the first set.

Khan

And though Khan may look more precise and technically fluid in his strokes,  it is undeniable that under pressure that smoothness disappears.   By contrast as the third set got more tense Paredes made fewer errors and his flawless defense frustrated and smothered Khan when it mattered most.

After match point, Paredes let out a scream that would have awakened Pizarro from his 500 year slumber in Paredes' native Peru, and then hugged a dejected Khan at the net.  Khan

showed no outward bitterness and showed he is a class act afterwards, but the sting of this defeat will linger for a long time.  He had been working towards a showdown with 4-time champ Max Estenger for two years but because of inopportune mistakes was eliminated before the Championship round.  

Estenger  meanwhile breezed into the finals with a convincing 6-0, 6-1 victory over Eagon. This was Eagon's second straight GSC semifinal, but unlike last year when he lost a close three set match, this match was never in doubt.  The match was not as one-sided as the score might indicate as it featured some fine rallies and 5 deuce games.   Estenger is now 16-0 lifetime in the tournament and has yet to lose a set in five years.  

The Championship Match will be held on Wednesday, June 8 at GSC at 4:50 PM.