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Gulbis and Thiem go at it on Grandstand
12 Comments · Posted by Scoop Malinowski in Articles, Scoop
Good crowd watching these two titans working hard in practice in early afternoon on Grandstand.
They’re doing baseline tennis, at first they are doing a lot of hard hitting right back at each other and it’s clear Thiem is more on his game, Gulbis is missing more. On many first balls off the feed Gulbis puts the ball in the net. Thiem is like a one handed machine.
At a break called for by Gulbis they go to their chairs and sit apart. I wonder if there is some kind of tension between them, we know they are almost teammates, traveling and practicing together for a couple of years now, under coach Gunter Bresnik. Also, they will have to play each other here in the second round if they both win first round matches.
The next drill is also a baseline came but more cross court. They get into a crosscourt rally then one tries to go up the line with a winner to end the rally, then they quickly start another. Again, it seems Gulbis is more off with his shots and misses more, and Thiem is the one who ooohs the crowd with some backhand winners. Gulbis does do a nice one where Thiem is pulled wide to the backhand then Gulbis comes in and makes a nice drop volley winner and the crowd claps in admiration, but it also seems like a bit patronizing, because Gulbis is clearly not at his best today.
This time at the break Thiem goes and sits next on Gulbis’ side and they chat together. Gulbis is wearing white shorts and a blue t-shirt, Thiem in black shorts and yellow shirt. Both look phenomenally fit.
I spot my friend from Florida Andrew Lake and his son Thomas they are right in the front row behind Thiem’s chair. And there is an open chair there so I go over and take the best seat in the house. Lake is chatting with Gabe, a good friend of Bresnik, who I met at the Sony this year. It turns out Gulbis, Thiem and Bresnik are staying this Open at Gabe’s apartment on the upper west side near the mid 60 streets.
The session resumes with a feed drill. Bresnik feeds a ball so the player hits an inside our forehand then another second ball out wide so he has to hit a running forehand screaming winner. Both do this impressive drill many times and again Thiem converts on more. Younger legs or more animal? Or is Gulbis just saving his best energy for when it really counts?
It was a fantastic practice to watch. Then Feliciano Lopez arrives with a South American wearing Topper shoes and attire but I’m not sure who it is. Lopez is by the net post and Gulbis walks by but doesn’t acknowledge him at first. Then they are seated together with Lopez holding his two Wilsons. They do make small chat, then when Lopez gets up to start, Gulbis does a small clap, not sure why, but I interpret it as a semi sarcastic paying of homage to the great F-Lo. Then Gulbis jokes something with F Lo and his coach about I think, who is the better goaltender, but I couldn’t pick up the whole conversation. Thiem comes over to our spot and signs for all the kids and takes selfies. Gulbis is still sitting and then also does the same for fans on both sides.
This is one of those meaningless but attention arresting US Open flashbacks that most all of us in grandstand will remember for a long time. Seeing two top players like Gulbis and Thiem hone their skills two days before the start of the US Open.
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Andrew Miller · August 24, 2014 at 1:42 pm
Flo has been playing well. Not much faith in the other two fellas!
Scoop Malinowski · August 24, 2014 at 2:30 pm
Gulbis has gone deeper in a major than F LO and he is younger, plus I think he’s won more titles. Thiem might have the best upside of them all though.
MarÃÂlia · August 24, 2014 at 3:27 pm
Do you think Gulbis is without motivations? Since French Open, he can’t godd results… It’s sad, but in my opinion, he just trying find himself on matches again to win more. And his frustations on practices demonstrate that he really wants to win. Also, we need think of the pressures. He’s a great tennis player and he knows it! And we knoe, too.
What’s your opinion?
Loreley · August 24, 2014 at 3:37 pm
Both were not in good form at Toronto & Cincy. Thiem even less than Gulbis.
They don’t like to play against each other. Thiem told on FB once that he doesn’t want to draw Ernests. And Gulbis said after a qualifiying match at WS 2012, that it wasn’t easy, because he had to play against a friend. Thiem got even a break, but of course he couldn’t hold it. It was a straight set win for Gulbis.
Check out Dominic’s FB. He did the ice bucket challenge, when they practised at the Hamptons last week. Hilarious.
https://www.facebook.com/1.Dominic.Thiem
Dan Markowitz · August 24, 2014 at 3:47 pm
We were hearing how Thiem is great and then he’s been losing rather alarmingly of late. Gulbis sounds like he’s ready to bow out early again by the way he’s playing.
Some good first round matches on Monday: McGee vs. Nedovyesov, Paire v. Benneteau, Raonic v Taro Daniel, Abanda v Lisicki, Robredo v Roger-Vasselin, Youzhny v Kyrgios, and in the Grandstand, Jo-Willy v Monaco and DY v Kavcic and Ons Jabeur (Scoop’s gal) v Petkovic, Giorgi v Radionova and Stepanek v Bachinger (who played really well in the Qualis).
Anyone from Tennis-Prose who wants to come over and sit with me during the McGee match (3rd match on Court 13) is welcome, but you’ve got to root hardily for James.
Andrew Miller · August 24, 2014 at 5:21 pm
My pix:
– McGhee. The best Irish player in forever!
– Benneteau, as Paire becomes distracted with girlfr…sorry, player’s box, sorry again, I mean his team in the stqands.
– Raonic. I’d root for the upset special with Taro Daniel showing Japanese tennis goes beyond Nishikori. I just think that Raonic is focused these days.
– Lisicki.
– Robredo
– Youznhny vs. Kyrgios – this one is a MATCH! I’ll take Youz, who has gone deep here before.
– Jo Willie
– DY
– Petko
– Oceans 11 star will win – likes the big city lights that Argentine/Italian Giorgi
– Steps. Worm strikes again.
JG · August 24, 2014 at 6:11 pm
I picked McGhee in the first round at least, just did my braacket have Steve Johnson beating gulbis after gulbis beats Thiem, I assume it’s like a federer Warwinka thing going on, also have sock getting pretty far, time to step up!
Bryan · August 24, 2014 at 7:41 pm
Enjoyable read. Gulbis has dropped off since Wimbledon pretty badly. But he’s one of those guys who gets up for big matches, so hopefully he’ll bring his A game once this US Open starts.
Bryan · August 24, 2014 at 7:43 pm
“Benneteau, as Paire becomes distracted with girlfr…sorry, player’s box…”
Anderw, are you referring to his girlfriend Alize Lim? Not sure why he’d be distracted by his GF but I don’t follow all the drama off court. Fill us in please.
Scoop Malinowski · August 24, 2014 at 7:45 pm
Marilia, Gulbis did not actualy show any frustration, he was just practicing hard but he was a bit off. One time he hit a ball at the grandstand scoreboard sign behind the baseline but it oddly hit some metal part and bounced back toward the court and an Asian guy caught it and for some reason tossed it back at Gulbis who caught it and then blasted it out of the grandstand with a half smile, over the high part and it surely landed on Armstrong court. Gulbis is the type who works hard but doesn’t really care if he misses much in practice. He’s just training hard. We’ll see how he performs in first round. I think he’s mentally down from losing the close matches to Rafa and the SF to DJOK at FO. He may have played his absolute best tennis but it didn’t achieve what he hoped and expected. So there’s a little lull right now.Let’s see if he can turn it around this week. Yes I think Guls is a great player, his record in finals is special and he has shown he can play with the best on even terms. Thanks for your comment and welcome to the site.
MarÃÂlia · August 24, 2014 at 11:44 pm
Scoop Malinowski, thank you; And thanks for your answer. I understand and agree with you!
Loreley · August 25, 2014 at 5:57 am
Thiem is just overplayed. You have too look how many tournaments he played this season already. A lot of qualies too. Keep on mind it’s more or less his first year on ATP level.
Gulbis made a huge step forward again as well. But of course he should be ready for the USO now. Hopefully he can deal with the pressure better then last year.