Indian Wells: Live Day Four Round Up

by: Nima Naderi

Indian Wells, CA—Top seed Roger Federer won his first match since Australia on Sunday at the BNP Paribas Open, defeating Victor Hanescu 6-3, 6-7 (5), 6-1.

Winning the first set in routine fashion, Federer won 100 percent of his first serve points (11-11) while breaking Hanescu’s serve on one occasion. What appeared to be a straight set win by the Swiss superstar, quickly became a second set battle. Breaking Federer’s serve to lead 5-2, Hanescu utilized his fluid one-handed backhand and competent serve to force his mighty rival to the brink of a third set.

Hanescu would falter while serving for the set at 5-3, only to gain an early advantage in the tiebreak to force a deciding set.

Regaining momentum to begin the third set, Federer broke Hanescu’s serve on two occasions to defeat his 6′5″ opponent for the fifth straight time.

A relaxed, and eager to be back to competition Federer spoke with his media after his victory.

“I was happy with the way I played,” he said. “Not having played for so long, I thought it was a good match overall. Missed maybe some of the clutch serving when I really needed it. Let’s say 30-all, deuce I couldn’t really get that one perfect serve I was sometimes looking for, but that’s something that happens.”

Receiving three awards after his victory: The 2009 Player of the Year, ATPWorldTour.com Fans’ Favorite Player of the Year, and the Stefan Edberg Sportsmanship Award, Federer was grateful to his fans and peers for his awards.

“I’d like to thank the fans for voting for me,” Federer said to the crowd after receiving the Fan Favorite Award for a seventh straight year. “You guys are amazing. Thank you. As you know, you guys make this even more worthwhile traveling around the globe from January to November. I love coming back here, so it’s very nice to get presented the awards here.”

Federer will next face Marcos Baghdatis, who won a marathon first set over Arnaud Clement, before prevailing 7-6 (7), 6-1. The first set between Baghdatis and Clement lasted 90-minutes.

Elsewhere, Andy Murray and Andy Roddick marched into the third-round round with 6-4, 6-4 victories. Murray dismissed Andreas Seppi during the heat of the day session, while Roddick bounced Yen-Hsun Lu under the cool night conditions in Palm Springs.

Murray, who lost to Rafael Nadal in last year’s final, told reporters that he wasn’t expecting much from his form on Sunday.

“You’re not necessarily hitting the ball as well as you have been in practice.  You don’t know if it’s tension. You’re just a little bit surprised, maybe.

“But, saying that, when you haven’t played for a long time, you have to expect not to play your best the first match out. I’m sure next round out I’ll feel fine.”

Roddick, who recently endured a right shoulder injury, struck 10 aces while winning 78 percent of his first serve points.

Roddick told reporters that he was happy to survive the onslaught of his talented opponent.

“He was coming out of his shoes on every shot,” said Roddick of Lu’s performance. “So it was more of a, you know, you’re just trying to fight him off a bit.”

“I was really happy the way I returned tonight,” continued the 28-year-old. “I felt like I made a lot of returns, so that put pressure on him, you know, to come up with it.”

Roddick will next face Thiemo De Bakker, while Murray will face Michael Russell.

Other winners on day four action included: Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Robin Soderling, and James Blake.

No. 5 seed Nikolay Davydenko was forced to withdraw from the event due to a broken left wrist. Davydenko originally sustained the injury while falling against Soderling during the semifinals of the Rotterdam event in February. Davydenko’s scheduled third-round opponent, Viktor Troicki will receive a walkover into the fourth-round.

Monday’s order of play will feature: Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, Fernando Verdasco.

Quotes courtesy of ASAP.

Exclusive Q&A With Marcel Granollers

Competing in his Davis Cup debut last weekend in Spain, current world No. 110 Marcel Granollers recently had a chance to stop by and give Tennis Connected an exclusive interview.

Granollers, 23, began his year by defeating current world No. 7 Robin Soderling during the first-round of the Australian Open for his biggest win to date. Capturing two doubles titles on the ATP World Tour in 2010, Granollers was victorious during the first week of the season in Chennai, India, with partner Santiago Ventura, which was followed by his second title of the year in Costa do Saupie, Brazil, with Pablo Cuevas.

Ranked No. 25 in the world in doubles, Granollers shared an intriguing look into his unique game style; his love for soccer, and why he believes having one coach is ultimately the best decision for a player.

Granollers is currently participating in a Challenger level event in Rabat, Morocco, as the No. 5 seed.

Interview by Nima Naderi:

Q. How much confidence did you take away from defeating Robin Soderling in the first-round of the Australian Open?

A. It was a very important match. It was the first time I expressed top 10 level and it was very important to become aware that I am able to play on a top 10 level. It gave me a lot of confidence.

Q. Capturing your first career title at the US Men’s Clay Court Championship in 2008, what components of your game or confidence do you need to improve in recapturing that level of play?

A. I am a better player than the Marcel who won at Houston. I am a much more mature player with more game solutions then two years ago. For me, winning in Houston came as a surprise. It was the first ATP event in which I was direct acceptance in the main draw and I won it. During the weeks before Houston I had won many matches on Challenger level, and I was used to winning many matches in a row. That is what I have been missing lately, winning many matches in a row [to] arrive at the end of the week still competing. I need to get used to winning.

Q. You recently exited the world’s top 100 after being ranked No. 44 in the world (February 2008). Is regaining a top 50 ranking your priority for this season?

A. Yes, definitely. I believe that the strategy and the work that I did during the winter and these first [few] months [will] make the top 50 a natural and realistic goal for this season.

Q. Your game consists of very low take-backs on both your forehand and backhand groundstrokes. What would you attribute to your unique style of play. Did you ever encounter a coach trying to alter your strokes?

A. I did work on my forehand take-back last year with my former coach Galo Blanco. My take back on the forehand side is now shorter and a bit higher. This gives me much more power on the forehand side, and I can use the forehand more to come in and follow the stroke to the net. It has been a good change.

Q. Playing well on both hard and clay-courts, what would you consider your favorite surface and favorite tournament?

A. I don’t know what to answer. I also think that I play the same level on both courts, and so show also the results. I like both surfaces, and I think that it is necessary if you really aim to the high rankings nowadays.

Q. You currently have two coaches working with you (David de Miguel, Alex Calatrava). Do you find that having more than one coach aids in your overall improvement, or have you ever encountered a conflict of interest?

A. Well, I travelled only three weeks with Alex Calatrava, when David was busy elsewhere, I can’t really say that I have two coaches now. Sometimes when you work in Academies it happens to travel with different coaches, and on the mental side it can be helpful not to see always the same face every day at breakfast and on the court. At the same time one coach needs to have the leading role, and the others need to execute the program that the main coach gives. I prefer having one coach.

Q. How important has Davis Cup competition been to your career? Do you enjoy the team atmosphere of Davis Cup along side your countrymen?

A. Davis Cup is extremely important. Now, after my real debut ( I was in the team last year but didn’t play) I can tell it is an incredible experience. The connection with the people, the team, the media. Everything gets more intensive. I must say that I have not been nervous at any time during my debut, all the team has helped me a lot, knowing it was my first match. I really like to represent my country and to be so close to the Spanish fans. It is one of those experiences you don’t forget.

Q. You’ve increased your doubles ranking recently to No. 25 in the world. Do you find that playing doubles increases your level of play for singles, in terms of working on your volleys and return game?

A. Yes, I think playing doubles helps a lot to improve your singles. The serve, the returns and the volleys get more precise, because you have a smaller court and you decide with your partner where to hit. Doubles also helps me very much to regain my confidence. If I lose first round in singles, but keep going in doubles all week until the final, I get confident to the next singles tournament as well.

Q. With many years left in your career, what would you like to accomplish before you retire?

A. A tournament that is very important to me, and where I never played well is Barcelona. I am a member of this club, like my brother. My parents, my friends and relatives come to watch me play and I would give anything to win that tournament. Of course, I would also love to win a Slam event or another Davis Cup.

Q. Finally, if you could disclose one locker room story that the public is not aware of, what would it be?

A. Well, in the locker it’s all about soccer. Most of the Spanish players are for Barcelona or Madrid. We discuss a lot in the lockers about soccer, but [we] can be pretty loud and annoying for the other players. At this time, being a fan of Espanol they are giving me quite a bit of sh…! I don’t worry, and wait until Espanol beats them to pay them back!

Radio Podcast March 10, 2010: Indian Wells Preview

Tennis Connected is back on the air with our newest podcast discussing what has happened since the Aussie Open and of course a full quarter-by-quarter draw analysis of the Indian Wells event taking place this week in California.

Nima will be covering the event live from Indian Wells so stay tuned for loads of insides scoops, interviews and in-depth analysis. As always, you can listen to our podcast below or subscribe to the #1 tennis podcast on the web through iTunes and never miss an episode.

Davis Cup Day 3 Review: Spain and Russia Make Quarterfinals

With three teams advancing to the quarterfinals of the 2010 Davis Cup World Group on Saturday, the remaining five ties (excluding the Chile-Israel tie, who will play their doubles rubber today due to a late start) would highlight Sunday’s reverse singles action.

Let’s now take a look at Sunday’s singles action.

Spain vs. Switzerland: Spain wins 3-1

Spaniard David Ferrer propelled his defending championship squad into a meeting with France in the quarterfinals after dismantling Stanislas Wawrinka 6-2, 6-4, 6-0 in two hours, 34 minutes Sunday.

Winning his seventh consecutive match, Ferrer was utterly brilliant in dispatching his formidable Swiss foe. Using his consistent two-handed backhand to move Wawrinka around the court, Ferrer struck 17 winners while winning 74 percent of his first serve points.

Breaking Wawrinka’s serve on seven of 15 occasions, Ferrer went on a rout in the third set after serving out the second set.

Improving to 13-3 in Davis Cup singles competition, Ferrer remains a perfect 9-0 when matches are contested on clay.

The scrappy Spaniard will now travel to Indian Wells, California to participate in the year’s first Masters 1000 event next week.

Nicolas Almagro, who lost to Wawrinka on Friday in the ties first match, will face Marco Chiudinelli in a meaningless fifth “dead” rubber.

The quarterfinal tie between Spain and France will take place July 9-11.

Russia vs. India: Russia wins 3-2

A day after losing the doubles rubber and a point to India, Mikhail Youzhny defeated Somdev Devvarman to boost Russia into the quarterfinal stage of this year’s world group, and a date with either Sweden or Argentina.

Youzhny, who is enjoying some the best form of his veteran career over the past six months, was efficient is dismissing Devvarman 6-2, 6-1, 6-3.

“I had to play a bit more aggressively than usual, as it’s tough to play against a guy who doesn’t miss anything,” said Youzhny. “Before the match I knew it could be a dangerous encounter because if he played his best tennis it could be very tough.”

Winning 80 percent of his first serve points, Youznhy struck 49 winners while breaking serve on six of 11 occasions. Devvarman squandered both of his break point opportunities (both in the third set), to fall to 4-5 in Davis Cup singles competition.

“I tried my heart out for every single point, and it’s just frustrating when the guy’s playing so well. I felt like I had a couple of semi chances, but I thought I made some bad decisions and I think that’s what’s frustrating,” said Devvarman.

Rohan Bopanna won the fifth and meaningless rubber against Teimuraz Gabasvili 7-6 (5), 6-4.

The results from the remaining three ties will be posted shortly.

Quotes courtesy of daviscup.com.

Player of the Month for February 2010: Juan Carlos Ferrero

Seemingly far removed from the best days of his career, an eager and determined Juan Carlos Ferrero poured in a devastatingly consistent month in February to capture Player of the Month honors.

Recording an envious 14-1 record throughout the second month of the season, Ferrero won back-to-back titles in Brazil and Argentina, while advancing to the finals of the 500 point event in Acapulco, Mexico before losing to scrappy countryman David Ferrer.

In total, the month of February brought Ferrero $262,600 in prize money, and 800 ATP World Tour points. The 30-year-old also improved his ranking position seven spots in February, jumping from No. 21 in the world to his current spot of No. 14. With a return to the top 10 in his sights, a confident Ferrero will look to raise the stakes at the upcoming Indian Wells and Miami events which will take place States side. Having not played either Indian Wells or Miami last year, the opportunity for Ferrero to increase his ranking is ever present. (The last time Ferrero saw top 10 status was in August of 2004).

To me, the most impressive attribute of Ferrero’s recent success was highlighted by the belief that he can still win Tour events. Having a lull of nearly six years between Tour titles, Ferrero snapped the forgettable streak last year in Casablanca, but remained modest in his results for the remainder of the season by reaching the quarterfinals of Wimbledon (l. Andy Murrray), and advancing the final 16 at the U.S. Open (l. Juan Martin del Potro).

The springboard was inevitably set for Ferrero to succeed this season, with his experience and consistent level of play throughout the second half of last year helping him to gain momentum. Working diligently through the offseason with his longtime coach Antonio Martinez, and his secondary coach Samuel Lopez, Ferrero knew that in order to stay on par with today’s generation of hard-hitting, younger, and stronger players, his game, and more importantly his fitness, would have to be paramount.

Although Ferrero injured his knee during his finals loss to Ferrer in Mexico—the injury, to me anyway, was a preventative measure to ensure his withdrawal from this weekend’s Davis Cup first-round tie against Switzerland. Allowing his body to rest after a grueling month of South American tennis will ultimately allow Ferrero to head over to Indian Wells early, and fine-tune his hard-court game for the month of March.

Ferrero will unquestionably have a difficult time in reaching the top 10 this season, simply because the current crop of top 10 players is younger and consistently posting enough quality results that they can sustain their position.

However, the X-factor that Ferrero will have on his side for the remainder of the season, and his career for that matter, is his love for the sport.

Growing up in Onteniente, Spain, Ferrero would spend hours upon hours improving his court craft, even after his training on-court was completed. Ferrero was so adamant on reaching his goal as a professional player that his father Eduardo would oftentimes catch his son hitting against the inside of the garage of their home while aiming to defeat his fierce rival the “light socket.”

Ferrero’s theory on hitting against the light socket was driven from the precise nature one would have to acquire in order to hit such a small area on the wall. Ferrero would also take his “garage training” one step further by imaging that every time he hit the light socket a victory over Andre Agassi, Pete Sampras, or Boris Becker had taken place.

Clearly, the love for the game was ever present in Ferrero’s youth, and that same passion for the sport runs deep today.

Owing a junior academy in Villena, Spain, Ferrero readily spends his off Tour training helping to develop new Spanish talent, while squeezing in his own court time.

Battling an 0-2 start to begin the season, Ferrero is now a realistic pick to triumph at Roland Garros this spring. Winning his maiden Slam in Paris in 2003, Ferrero also made the finals in 2002 before losing to current Davis Cup captain Albert Costa in four sets.

All in all, it’s great to see Ferrero enjoying the fruits of his labor, while challenging the new charge on the ATP World Tour.

Other notable contenders for Player of the Month honors included:

Novak Djokovic: The recent world No. 2 defended the first title of his career in Dubai, while displaying his grit and determination in winning four straight three-set matches en route.

David Ferrer: The never-say-die Spaniard also had a glorious month in February which included making the semifinals in Johannesburg, South Africa, the finals in Buenos Aires, and winning his eighth career title in Acapulco. Ferrer, who has always endured a crisis of self belief, preserved through his self doubt to record a splendid 12-2 record in February.

Marin Cilic: Leading the Tour with a 17-2 record, Cilic banked his second title of the season in Zagreb, Croatia, while raising his ranking to a career high of No. 9 in the world. Continuing his sensational run from Australia, Cilic will continue to be a mighty force on Tour for the remainder of the season.

Soderling the Challenger

by: Rob York

Tomas Berdych and Robin Soderling are both representative players of the current generation on the ATP Tour.

First, there’s their common height and bulk: the Swede Soderling is listed at 6’4” and 192 pounds on the ATP Tour Web site, while Berdych is listed at 6’5” and 200 pounds.

Secondly, we have their game plans: The 25-year-old Soderling and the 24-year-old Berdych both serve big and hit hard off both wings, and like so many players today the centerpieces of their games are big forehands. The Czech’s is a bit flatter, and the Swede’s requires a bit more backswing, but both men are rightly considered to be among the hardest hitters around.

And by the time the two met in the finals of the BMW Tennis Championship last March, they could be considered to be in a similar phase in their careers. Soderling had broken through in 2003 by reaching his first tour final and the third round of Wimbledon, while Berdych’s big intro was in 2004, when he won his first title and beat Roger Federer at the Olympics.

Despite their early promise, however, their results were stagnant, with Berdych winning just four titles by early ’09 and Soderling only three. Their games had come to be known for one-dimensional power hitting, and both were struggling just to win matches in the early goings of ’09.

Berdych had pushed Federer to five sets at the Australian Open, and then won only one more match. Soderling took a 4-5 record into the event, and had to go through qualifying just to make the main draw of this unique event.

At the end of the week, the two players of such similarities had taken rather different roads to the final: Soderling had been required to win seven matches, beating streaky but notable threats Gilles Muller of Luxemburg and Spaniard Feliciano Lopez in straights, and barely overcoming former world No. 5 Rainer Schuettler of Germany. Top seed Berdych had dropped one set in four matches but not been severely tested, drubbing Janko Tipsarevic in the semis.

So what happened to Berdych on finals day? Did he not bring his best game with him, or was Soderling’s – after seven matches of preparation – running too smoothly? Whatever the story, the Swede walked away with an upset victory, in a surprisingly easy 6-1, 6-1 result.

And the result set the tone for the rest of the year: Berdych added one title to his résumé in Munich but had an otherwise lackluster year, getting no further than the fourth round of any Grand Slam event and going 1-9 against top 10 opponents. Two months after the BMW, Soderling pulled off the biggest upset of the year – and maybe in tennis history – when he stopped world No. 1 and four-time defending champion Rafael Nadal at Roland Garros.

He rode that momentum all the way to the finals of that major before falling to Federer. By the end of the year, he had added a tourney title, victories over Nadal (again), Novak Djokovic, and Nikolay Davydenko (three times last year and one in 2010). He finished the year at a career-best No. 8, qualifying for the World Tour Finals in London.

Even in winning last year’s BMW, Soderling could never have predicted the year that would may ahead following this turning point. And that’s the beauty of the event: Though not one of the game’s better-known tournaments, it offers top-flight competition a surge in confidence for the winner.

This year’s event, starting March 14, is set to field competitors including well-known players in search of a boost, including Russia’s Mikhail Youzhny, Spain’s Nicolas Almagro, Croatia’s Mario Ancic and the Frenchmen Richard Gasquet and Gilles Simon. Youth will also be served in players like Thomaz Bellucci of Brazil, seeking to give his young career a kick-start.

Then again, maybe it will be a player none of us have thought of, who will use this event to position himself for big results later in the season.

If so, it’d be the second year in a row.

Check the tournament out on the Web,  Facebook and Twitter.

Novak Djokovic: Acquiring a Taste for Second

Throughout the proposed sarcasm, ball-bouncing, hits with Johnny Mac, and arch in his serve, Novak Djokovic has chalked up a pretty good tennis resume up until this point. Capturing 17 career singles titles which includes his maiden Slam victory in Australia in 2008, Djokovic remains a threat to win any tournament he enters.

However, foiled within the young Serb’s success lies the constant anxiety that Djokovic plays under; through the emotional rollercoaster that has allowed him to gain a legion of fans throughout the years, and finally, after waiting nearly three seasons to move out of the No. 3 spot to his current rank of No. 2, will the 23-year-old be able to sustain his current form amongst the giants of the sport?

I have my doubts to be honest, and it has nothing to do with Djokovic’s ability to hit a drop shot or save a break point. The Belgrade native was simply sensational last week in Dubai, defending the first title of his career after winning three, three-set matches in a row. Djokovic’s level of play wasn’t particularly the highest we’ve seen from him, but his ability to fight and persevere through the heat of the desert, and a slew of hungry competitors proved that his mettle was in check, irrespective of his ball-striking ability.

My concerns for the Serb simply stems from his overuse of emotion on court. Unlike Rafael Nadal, who uses his volumed fist pumps and leg hikes to spur on his sonic forehand, Djokovic’s constant yells and looks of dismay to his players’ box seem to take its toll on him during the bigger tournaments. It appears that the exertion of Djokovic’s emotions has also increased with his improved status.

I remember covering a tournament in 2005 at the Paris Masters 1000 against Djokovic and French Open runner-up Mariano Puerta. Puerta was at the time the N0. 9 ranked player in the world, while Djokovic occupied a respective position at No. 85. Puerta had also come off his best season to date, which would later end with a career rattling suspension because of a performance enhancing drug. Nevertheless, Puerta was a formidable player, and he knew exactly what he was looking at when he lost to Djokovic in straight sets.

After going down 6-3, 7-6(9) to the Serb, Puerta told the media that: “He’s a future champion. His poise and calmness on-court, along with his shots will take him to the top.”

Going through the archives of post-match press conferences, (which takes up a brilliant amount of my time) I have only heard one other player in recent memory (Nadal telling reporters that he believed Kei Nishikori would be a top three player one day, after defeating the Japanese youngster at Queens Club event in 2008) receive the type of accolades that Puerta gave to Djokovic in Paris.

So far so good for Puerta’s prediction, and if not for a knee injury to Nishikori, the 20-year-old could have potentially made Nadal add his prognosticator views to his long list of off-court ability.

If we look closer into Puerta’s comments about a younger Djokovic being “calm” and “poised”, can we honestly say that those characteristics embody the current world No. 2? Through his loss to Jo-Wilfried Tsonga at the Australian Open this year, to his out-of-gas performance against Roger Federer at the US Open last fall, will Djokovic be able to consistently put it all together when he needs to in a best of five format?

I’m not disputing Djokovic’s ability to supplant Federer at the No. 1 spot (I actually picked Djokovic to end the year No. 2 with the chance of overtaking the No. 1 spot at some point)—my concern for Djokovic resides more around his ability to win multiple Majors and put a stamp on the top spot similar to Federer, or even Nadal.

Can Djokovic in essence do the top spot proud?

It just seems to me that Djokovic would be better served if he would allow for a more independent approach to the Grand Slam events, as opposed to the constant dialogue he constructs with his players’ box and ultimately himself. Historically, the greatest champions of the sport, Federer, Pete Sampras, Bjorn Borg and Rod Laver have all approached tennis matches—regardless of their magnitude—with more of an introverted silence when competing. They all showed emotion from time to time, but it was based more around a mechanism of momentary uplifting, and not three hours of attempting to ask for approval from outside the lines.

I understand that creating a vortex of calmness and independence in the men’s game is far from easy; if anything, that’s why every player doesn’t win over 10 Majors, or if they’re lucky even five. But a player of Djokovic’s caliber certainly has the wherewithal and physical gifts to post significant numbers—it will inevitably come down to his emotional management in the end.

It seems, anyway, that Djokovic has a lot more to think about now that he’s acquired a taste for second.

Getting to Know Ernests Gulbis: Raw Talent Meets Initial Success

It’s that time of week again, folks. The time of week where we take a look at a new, familiar, or rejuvenated ATP World Tour star, and his success on the circuit.

In the circle of many tennis enthusiasts and fans alike, the name Ernests Gulbis has always remained a familiar constant. Beginning his professional career in 2004, a 16-year-old Gulbis had already earned high accolades from his peers and coaches. Holding significant power off of both his forehand and backhand strokes, Gublis played tennis—even from his early teens—like it was a magnified version of ping pong.

Making himself a viable name on Tour by reaching the fourth-round of the 2007 US Open, Gulbis dismantled No. 8 seed Tommy Robredo in the third-round before losing to veteran Carlos Moya. It was during his match with Robredo (a match which I attended) where the promise of the young Latvian was ever present.

Picking apart the rock-solid strokes of Robredo was never an easy task, considering his consistent track record throughout his career (especially at the Majors). For Gulbis to defeat the Spaniard 6-1, 6-2, 6-3 in 89 minutes—taking into account that it was his debut in New York—was a testament to his tremendous talent. Although Gulbis would lose in the next round to Moya, I would leave New York with a new red circle around a surefire future champion.

Well, my vision of Gulbis’ future would soon take a hit.

Although Gulbis’ 2008 season would feature his first-ever Grand Slam quarterfinal finish at the French Open, his year would remain without a maiden title, and no better than a quarterfinal finish on Tour. My darkhorse pick of the Latvian as a Grand Slam contender was surely under fire.

I met Gulbis during the US Open in ‘08 at the players’ hotel in Manhattan, the day before he was set to take on Andy Roddick in the second-round. At the time, Gulbis seemed very poised and confident for a player with his track record—he provided a casual smile here and there, but for the most part his answers were filled with tales of improvement and hard-work. Although he would lose to Roddick in four sets in Ashe Stadium, Gulbis accepted his defeat like a consummate professional.”I wish Andy well for this tournament, and I will go and practice and come back stronger,” said Gulbis during the on-court interview.

To me, anyway, that attitude was a breath of fresh air coming from an up-and-coming player—one that didn’t take his losses too hard, and one who was willing to enjoy the process of reaching the top.

Alas, Gulbis did not follow through on his words of wisdom. His 2009 season was filled with a trainwreck of results, followed by a puzzled head-scratching session from the nearby viewership. Gulbis’ year was such a disappointment that the highlight of his season came in the form of an alleged arrest for soliciting prostitutes during the event in Stockholm, Sweden. The irresponsible side of Gulbis had become prevalent to the public; a dark-side that did not warrant much respect.

With a dismal record of 20-27 (three of those wins were against lesser foes in Davis Cup zone action), Gulbis’ stock and limelight appeal had all but faded.

The once promising superstar had become an underachieving, not-caring playboy tennis player—all the wrong and none of the right if you will.

But through the ashes of his failing career, Gulbis turned to Herman Gumy for a new perspective on his struggles, while dedicating himself to a fitness regime to rekindle his career (ironically Gumy had coached another talented but “special” player, Marat Safin prior to Gulbis). Under the tutelage of Gumy, Gulbis reached the quarterfinals in St. Petersburg, Russia to end the year. A decent finish to a turmoil filled season; one which saw Gulbis win back-to-back matches on only two occasions—finished on an encouraging note.

I remained skeptical towards Gulbis’ future in the game, purely because he appeared rested on his wealthy upbringing and immense talent. The Gulbis that I had met in 2008, and saw take apart Robredo in 2007, had become a preverbal headcase, one who could not be counted on—anyone for a Tomas Berdych chant?

However, in the true spirt of the ever changing demeanor and outlook of the world’s best players, Gulbis began his 2010 campaign by nearly defeating Roger Federer in Qatar. Even though the top seed prevailed in three tough sets, it was evident that Gulbis was not bothered nor frazzled by playing the 16-time Grand Slam champion. That look of reckless, but controlled abandonment was back in Gulbis’ eyes; a look that would assist him when marching back to the forefront of the men’s rankings.

In many ways like a Safin, Gulbis’ game is uncoachable. His technique is all but flawless and his physique is well chiseled for the Tour. If anything, a player of Gulbis’ caliber requires a voice of reason that he can make sense of; a voice that for whatever reason he’ll listen to.

Luckily for Gublis, the encouragement from Gumy quickly made a positive impact. Reaching the semifinals in Memphis in mid-February, Gulbis progressed to the final four of a Tour event for the first time since reaching the semifinals in St. Petersburg in 2006. Nearly three and half years parted from his success in Russia, Gulbis appeared destined for continued success.

Arriving in Delray Beach, Fla. last week, the 21-year-old Riga native poured in a riveting performance which included capturing his first career title, while not losing a set en route. Gulbis’ defeat of No. 2 seed Ivo Karlovic in the finals was ironically his easiest victory of the week, considering the thundering pace of the Croatian’s serve.

Hoisting the first title of his career, Gulbis remained calm and collective while assessing his performance. Becoming the first Latvian player to capture an ATP World Tour title, Gulbis shared his outlook with reporters during the post-tournament presser.

“I’m never impressed with statistics,” Gulbis told the Associated Press. “I’m impressed I won the title. So I didn’t lose a set, I don’t see that as a big accomplishment.”

The honest nature which Gulbis conducts himself leads me to believe that his future on the circuit will depend on his commitment to becoming a “true professional.” There’s no doubt that he has top five talent; perhaps top three potential if he works really hard. The desire to refine his skill-set and make it into a consistent entity on Tour, though, remains an assumption I’m not willing to take.

The day will come when Gulbis will have his shot at a Major title, or perhaps the upset of Federer or Rafael Nadal. Will he take his opportunity, or will he fade again? It’s a tough one to call.

Here’s hoping the hardwork sticks around of “Ernie” Gulbis.

Day 7 Review: Djokovic Defends Dubai; Ferrer Captures Acapulco Title; Gulbis Wins Maiden Tour Event in Delray Beach

Barclays Dubai Tennis Championships–U.A.E.

Holding a significant lead while heading into Sunday’s resumption of the Barclays Dubai Tennis Championships, No. 2 seed Novak Djokovic liked his chances of success.

Having won the first set over No. 7 seed Mikhail Youzhny, Djokovic had a service break in hand before heavy rain ended Saturday’s action.

However, the resumption of Sunday’s final meant Djokovic would have to play his fourth consecutive three-set match. The Serb’s 7-5, 2-0 lead would soon evaporate, courtesy of a Youzhny serve break during the fifth game of the set.

Djokovic would steer ahead once again to hold an opportunity for a 5-3 lead, but over-hit a routine forehand and squandered his opportunity of putting the Russian away. Youzhny required a second chance at forcing a third set, after failing to capture the set at 5-4. Not making the same mistake the second time around, the 28-year-old Russian broke Djokovic in the 12th game.

Fighting off early adversity by Youzhny in the seventh game of the third set, Djokovic saved two break points and 15-40, 3-3 to go ahead 4-3.

Pulling ahead at 5-3, Djokovic would seal victory with a final break of serve.

Defending the first title of his professional career, Djokovic acknowledged the many variables that went into his success in Dubai.

“It means the whole world to me. Of course there are always people who are saying he can’t do it. He can’t do it. But I’m playing for myself, and this is another success in my career that I wasn’t able to make in the last two years. But now, finally, I did it, and it’s a big relief. So in the future I just hope I’ll make a couple more of those.

“It’s a big boost because I believe in myself. Even when I play bad, I know I have the abilities… Today was another good example of how much I believe in myself and how much I fight till the end.”

Pocketing $383,000 in prize money and 500 ATP World Tour points, Djokoivc will remain over 3000 points behind No. 1 ranked Roger Federer in the rankings.

Djokovic joked with the media about his inability to close out his competition in straight sets—having gone three sets in his last four matches.

“Obviously this tournament I don’t allow myself to win in straight sets except the first round. Even when I can finish the job in two sets, I still want to play. Thinking about people who bought tickets and want to stay a bit longer (laughing).

“But, generally, it took a lot of energy for me. Stopping and playing, and coming back and then again stopping the match last night because of the rain. As I was saying, if we continued last night, I think I had much better chances to get the job done in two sets. I felt really well on the court, hitting the ball, feeling relaxed. Today I was really nervous before the match, during the match for no reason. [But] winning the tournament in any way, it’s a huge success.”

Youzhny, who fell to 10-3 on the season, took home $180,000 for his efforts, and 300 ATP World Tour points.

“Before the tournament if you say you’ll play the final, you say good result. But now straight after the final, when you have some chances [I am disappointed]… It was good match for me.  It was a good level of tennis. I’m disappointed because I lost, but I’m happy because it was a good level of game.

“It was a very close set. Today I understand I have to try to play aggressive, maybe more aggressive than normal if I want to continue, if I want to save this match.”

Both Djokovic and Youznhy will now head to their respective Davis Cup venues to prepare for next week’s first-round ties.

Djokovic will lead his team against the Americans in Belgrade, while Youzhny and his Russian teammates will host India in Moscow.

Abierto Mexicano Telcel–Acapulco, Mexico

Scrappy Spaniard David Ferrer won his eighth career title on Saturday in Acapulco, Mexico, defeating countryman Juan Carlos Ferrero 6-3, 3-6, 6-1.

Losing to Ferrero last week in the Buenos Aires final, Ferrer improved to 6-2 against his good friend in career head-to-head meetings.

Ferrero, who was riding a 14-match winning streak, showed visible signs of fatigue while attempting to win his third straight Tour title.

Converting on all three of his break-point chances, Ferrer won 83 percent of his first serve points while striking two aces.

Improving to 13-4 on the season, Ferrer captured 500 ATP World Tour points for his victory, and $227,000 in prize money.

The usually consistent Ferrer admitted that his ability to go for his shots throughout the one hour and 47 minute match made the difference.

“I was more aggressive, hitting harder,” Ferrer said. “It was the other way around in Buenos Aires.”

Ferrer and Ferrero will now head back to Spain to prepare for the nation’s first-round Davis Cup tie against Switzerland next Friday. The Spanish pair were chosen as singles players for the tie by captain Albert Costa.

Delray Beach Tennis Championships–Flordia

Unseeded Latvian Ernests Gulbis won his first career singles title in Delray Beach on Sunday, defeating ace machine Ivo Karlovic 6-3, 6-2.

Breaking Karlovic’s serve on four and nine occasions, Gulbis survived 14 aces, while striking six aces of his own.

“I’m never impressed with statistics,” said Gulbis, who also reached the Memphis semifinals last week. “I’m impressed I won the title. So I didn’t lose a set, I don’t see that as a big accomplishment.

“I think winning a title is a big accomplishment.”

Winning 79 percent of his first serve points, Gulbis allowed Karlovic a mere 27 percent of his second serve points won.

Needing 80-minutes to win the title, Gulbis told reporters that his win was in honor of his country.

“Everything I do it’s the first for my country,” Gulbis said. “I was first one in top 300, first one in top 200, first one in top 100.”

Ousting the No. 2 seed in routine fashion, Gulbis will move inside the top 50 when the new rankings are released on Monday. The 21-year-old is currently ranked No. 72 in the world.

Losing his first final of the year, Karlovic failed to win his fifth career title on his 31st birthday.

“He was really cool, calm, like nothing could impress him,” said Karlovic. “This year he’s going to make a breakthrough.”

Karlovic had defeated defending champion Mardy Fish in the semifinals and two-time finalist James Blake in the quarterfinals.

Quotes courtesy of Associated Press, and atpworldtour.com.

Day 7 Review: Querrey Wins Memphis: Llodra Captures Marseille; Ferrero Secures Argentina

Regions Morgan Keegan Championships—Memphis, TN.

Up-and-coming American Sam Querrey captured the third title of his career on Sunday in Memphis, TN., defeating good friend and fellow Davis Cup teammate John Isner, 6-7 (3), 7-6 (5), 6-3.

Recovering from the loss of the first set, Querrey began to use his rocket forehand to offset the tempo of Isner.

Isner, who was attempting to win his second title of the season, fell to 13-2 on the year.

Querrey, who was seeded No. 8 at the event, defeated his second seeded opponent of the week after upsetting top ranked Andy Roodick in the quarterfinals.

Adding to his Los Angeles title last summer, and his Las Vegas crown in 2008, Querrey captured the biggest point title of his career on Sunday which was worth 500 ATP World Tour points.

Currently ranked No. 31 in the world, Querrey, who is aged 22, will likely move into the low 20’s when Monday’s rankings are released.

Querrey had this to say after his win.

“It’s the first time we’ve played,” said Querrey. “I’m sure the next 10 years we’ll play another 10-15 times. I’m sure he’ll win some of those, I’ll win some of those, and it’s tough but it’s just something we’ve got to deal with.”

Both Querrey and Isner will be the highlighted players for the United States’ first-round Davis Cup tie against Serbia March 5-7.

The US will travel to Serbia to play on clay.

Open 13—Marseille, France

Frenchman Michael Llodra completed his sensational week of tennis on Sunday by capturing his fourth singles title, and 18th doubles crown of his career in Marseille, France.

Defeating countryman Julien Benneteau 6-3, 6-4, Llodra later teamed with his finals opponent to defeat the top seeded duo of Julien Knowle and Robert Lindstedt 6-4, 6-3.

Llodra’s serve continued to dominate the singles court against Benneteau, striking 14 aces while winning 85 percent of his first serve points. The high first serve percentage by Llodra was the third consecutive match he’d won more than 80 percent of his first serve points.

Capturing his first title since Rotterdam in 2008, Llodra needed one hour and 10 minutes to defeat his doubles partner.

Breaking Benneteau’s serve on two occasions (2-2), Llodra told the French media that the conditions in Marseille suited his game to a tee.

“The conditions in Marseille are great for my game. I served very well and was solid throughout the whole match.”

Reaching the finals last year in a losing effort to Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Llodra was aware that a first-round loss in this year’s event would greatly effect his ranking. The 29-year-old was happy that his children were in attendance to witness his victory.

“At the beginning of the week I knew that I could go down as far as 120 in the rankings if I lost in the first round,” said Llodra. ”It’s unbelievable to finally win a final in France after losing here and in Lyon last year. I enjoyed the week a lot and it was great to have my kids here today watching the final.”

Pocketing €92,400 and 250 ATP World Tour points for his week’s work, Llodra will now fly to Dubai for the 500 point event next week. The Open 13 champion will face No. 5 seed Tsonga in the first-round.

Failing to capture his first career title (0-4), Benneteau took home €48,700 for his efforts and 150 ATP World Tour points.

The 28-year-old gave full credit to the champion and his doubles partner.

“Today Mika was playing very well,” said Benneteau. ”You need to play an exceptional match if you want to beat him. He was serving very well, using different angles and different speeds. And even if I returned well he answered with great volleys. It was very complicated. I was a bit tired mentally since I came from two difficult matches during the last two days.”

Benneteau will also fly to Dubai where he will face Tommy Robredo in first-round action.

Copa Telmax—Buenos Aires, Argentina

Former world No. 1 and French Open champion Juan Carlos Ferrero captured his second consecutive Tour title on Sunday at the Copa Telmax in Argentina, defeating top seed David Ferrer, 5-7, 6-4, 6-3.

Winning his 10th straight match on Tour, Ferrero gained 250 ATP World Tour points for his week’s efforts, while capturing the 14th title of his career.

Ferrero had captured his 13th career title in Brazil last week.

Ferrer, who was attempting to win his first Tour title since 2008, squandered his momentum and a one set lead in the middle of the second set.

Changing to a more agressive serve and return of serve strategy, Ferrero gained a crucial break of serve in the second set to level the match.

Continuing his ruthless ground game in the third set, Ferrero broke Ferrer’s serve in the seventh game before serving out the title.

An elated Ferrero told reporters that he believed he could return to the top 10.

“I feel unbelievable after winning two weeks in a row,” said Ferrero. “It is a great feeling. I think the key to my current success is the physical work I have done. I have been working very hard and I know that I can be on the court forever. That helps my game a lot because I get to the ball much earlier and can be more aggressive.

“This also helps me mentally. I feel very strong and know that I have more resources now when playing important points. I have been working with a friend on the mental aspect and all is coming into place.

“My goal is to get back to the Top 10,” said Ferrero. “This victory makes me believe in this goal. I don’t have much to defend in Acapulco, Indian Wells and Miami so I hope I will do well, get extra [South African Airways 2010 ATP Rankings] points and move up in the rankings.”

Ferrero, who is currently ranked No. 22 in the world, will reclaim a top 20 position when Monday’s rankings are released.

Quotes courtesy of atpworldtour.com.

Next Page »