Farmers Classic 2010: Alejandro Falla thrashed out Ernests Gulbis
The professional tennis player from Colombia, Alejandro Falla knocked down Ernests Gulbis 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 (10/8), a fifth seeded player in his second round match at the Farmers Classic on Thursday.
Falla who is twenty six years of age read the match situation with a clever state of mind which earned him victory in the end over the twenty one year old, Gulbis.
"I am glad with the way I fought particularly in the decisive set,”Falla commented. Both of us were exhausted and still fought till the end. However, I am happy that I have managed to reach the quarterfinal round of the tournament here at Loss Angeles”, he added.
With this victory, the Colombian tennis ace, Falla has made his way into the next round of the tournament where he will face either Tim Smyczek, a qualifier from the United States of America or the Brit number one tennis ace, Andy Murray.
Both Falla and Gulbis played against each other on the very first occasion in their second round match after reaching their career high world ATP rankings of fifty eight and twenty seven respectively.
The depressed Gulbis, as a result of anger, threw his tennis racket on various occasions during his two hours and fifteen minutes clash at Los Angeles.
"Nothing went my way”, said Gulbis who was participating in his very first championship after his hamstring injury.
"I was simply moving like a Spanish clay court contender standing on the baseline and hitting the ball back”, he added.
"When you remain out of practice for a period of two months, it is really difficult to come back and perform in your natural way”, Gulbis commented.
An encouraging part in this match for him was that he managed to survive five match points in the set number three tie breaker prior to falling down on a short forehand return.
Falla thought he could have grabbed the match four points earlier at the time when Gulbis got angry and smashed his racquet into the net in annoyance. However, even he did not wish to see it conclude in that fashion.
Gulbis on the other hand had already been given a warning by Fergus Murphy, one of the chair umpires, during the set number two of the match for a similar behaviour and was fined one point.
According to Gulbis the chair umpire, Fergus Murphy from Ireland, should not have interfered when there were playing.
"The only aim of these chair Umpires all through their life is to give someone a penalty similar to a police officer who misses no chance of stopping a car on the road and giving them a ticket. It all amuses them a great deal.”
In Latvia, I usually park my car where it is not allowed and the police officers actually have a smile on their faces every time they give me a ticket, huh! Same is the case with this chair umpire as well.
"No matter, with whatever manner I play, he is bound to five me warnings”, Gulbis added.
When questioned if he should have been disqualified for his behaviour, Gulbis commented that, since the spectators were enjoying so it was really easy to do so.
"Although it was not a perfect tennis match, however both of us fought really well till the end therefore the people sitting there were actually having fun and if the chair umpire would have disqualified me, it would have been extremely foolish on his part."
As far as the winner of the second round match, Falla is concerned, he already performed well at the grass court Grand Slam tournament this season where he got the better of the tennis master, Roger Federer and made his way into the quarterfinal rounds.
While commenting on Gulbis’ behaviour, Falla said, "It actually pushed me to play even better. He provided me some opportunities and I grabbed them. I was just trying to smash back in an aggressive manner and be attacking from the baseline”.
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