ATP World Number 24: Ernests Gulbis in 2010
Ernests Gulbis, a professional tennis player from Latvia, made his pro debut in 2004. He won his first ATP Tour title at the US Men’s Clay Court Championships doubles in 2008, while pairing up with Rainer Schuttler. His first singles tour title came this
year, at the Delray Beach event where he defeated Ivo Karlovic for the title. Other career highlights include an appearance at the fourth round of the US Open in 2007 as well as a quarterfinal showing at Roland Garros in 2008. He has also reached the semi-finals
of several ATP World Tour tournaments.
His best performance in 2010 was, without a doubt, his Rome defeat of World Number 2 Roger Federer. Not only was this his greatest achievement for the year, it is also the biggest win he has scored in his career so far. The victory helped critics and fans
realize the Latvian’s potential; although Federer took away the first set easily, Gulbis gave him a tough time in the next two before winning the match. Two months after this triumph, he jumped the competition at Delray Beach for his first career title.
However, Gulbis also countered this spectacular performance with equally bad results on forums where a good showing was crucial – the Grand Slam tournaments. The 22 year old Latvian lost three matches within the first round, going down in straight sets.
Juan Monaco from Argentina undid Gulbis at the Australian Open in January, while French tennis pro Julien Benneteau took him apart easily at Roland Garros. Gulbis suffered defeat at the US Open in Flushing Meadows at the hands of another Frenchman, Jeremy
Chardy. The only tournament where Gulbis was not knocked out in the first round was Wimbledon; here, he withdrew from the event with a hamstring injury.
Despite his bad showing at every Major he participated in, this was Gulbis’s most successful season to date. He began the year at World Number 90, and jumped 66 spots in the rankings to hit World Number 24. This improvement demonstrates that despite his
Grand Slam performance, Gulbis has the ability to compete against, and beat, some of the world’s best players. The Delray Beach title also helped to prove him as a player who has the potential to win championships.
Gulbis, who is known for his hard-hitting shots, also demonstrated his versatility this season. He generally offers an offensive strategy and relies entirely on his forehand; many critics believed that he was only a threat on fast surfaces. He put paid to
these rumours after he outplayed Roger Federer on the clay courts of Rome In April.
However, the fact remains that talent is not enough to take the player to the top, or anywhere near it. Often, Gulbis shows signs of discontent and indifference on the court. He has also been quite vocal about a lack of interest in training; he also admitted
that often, he does not want to be on court. This nonchalant attitude may have a direct effect on his success, or lack thereof, at the Grand Slams.
Ernests Gulbis is not only a good player, he is also considered one of the most likeable personalities on the court. He has often been comapried to Marat Safin due to his attitude and style of playing. However, at the moment, Gulbis is not good enough or
dedicated enough to win Grand Slams or earn a ranking in the Top 5. In the near future, his lack of drive and consistency will inhibit and prevent him from taking a spot higher than the Top 20.
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