By Ganapathy Viswanathan
Most of the tennis players turn professional around the age of 18. And at that age both body and mind are still growing. Even though as kids they have been exposed to tournament match play, the mental and physical aspects of the sport take a different form in pro tennis than at junior levels.
Every tennis professional has or has had weaknesses. For some it’s the fifth set jitters, for others it is a certain type of opponent’s shot or an opponent itself. Even multiple slam winners have their own mental blocks. The difference is it takes athletes with much better abilities to expose the champions. Federer has Nadal in his head, Nadal now has let Djokovic get into his head and Djokovic now seems to have overcome the mental issues he once had against these two champions.
Ernests Gulbis may have been mentally unstable in the past. I did have those feelings of having bet on a lost horse (or fool’s gold as some may prefer to express) when he underperformed on several occasions, but it is my earnest (pun unintended) wish and hope that he would improve on his mental fitness, would bring his best at some point. Isn’t that the whole intent of taking up a sport?
Ernests Gulbis is only 22 years old. He has teamed up with Guillermo Canas as his new coach, which itself is a sign of wanting to improve. Not everyone needs a high profile coach like Brad Gilbert or Paul Annacone to improve their game. Sometimes it’s the chemistry that matters. It’s like choosing a doubles partner- you may or may not get the most talented one, but you definitely need someone with a positive attitude.
Canas and Gulbis have gone through some tough times together. After hiring Canas, initial success was elusive. Ernests lost in the first round of the first five tournaments he played with Canas. Now they seem to have turned a corner. He has reached his first ATP finals in a long time. En route to final, Gulbis took down Del Potro – the 2009 US Open champ who is on his way to getting back into top 10 after incurring a wrist injury last year.
In yesterday’s semifinal against Alex Bogomolov Jr, Gulbis demonstrated that he is physically and mentally ready to play any opponent. Their second set was one of the best I have seen in recent months. I don’t care about their rankings. They played top-10 tennis for sure.
Gulbis won the first set 6-2. However, Bogomolov lifted his game and matched Gulbis shot for shot. The interesting aspect to me was how Gulbis handled the assaults from Bogomolov and never let his level drop. That’s a sign of a champion, harbinger of what is to come. Gulbis stayed calm, made some tactical adjustments by going after Bogomolov’s backhand towards the tail end of the second set and played some brilliant tennis to finally overcome the gusty Russian born American (who reminded me a lot of Lleyton Hewitt) to earn a spot in today’s finals.
Mardy Fish improved his mental and physical aspects and at the ‘ripe old’ age of 28 is playing some of his best tennis to reach his career high ranking of #9 in the world! In the same token, I would love to believe that Gulbis is a transformed man now. It’s only fitting that he is playing Fish for the prestigious UCLA title.
Performance = Potential – Interference (i). As Tim Gallwey would put it, it’s the interference of ‘Self 1’ that often prevents someone from playing their very best. I would like to be hopeful and positive that Gulbis has learnt to minimize his i and play to his potential to take his performance to next level. He may or may not win slams, but if he can put in the work ethic which he seems to be doing now and learn to play with a free mind, he would then have reached his destiny.
With his new found energy, I expect the charming young lad from Latvia to bring his best against the #9 in the world. I am looking forward to a great match. I like both of them, so wouldn’t mind if either one wins. I do believe that Gulbis has a reasonable chance to bring down Fish to make headlines tomorrow and a Gulbis win would make the North American US Open series all the more interesting.
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Scoop Malinowski · August 1, 2011 at 3:14 am
It was a great match as you predicted Gans. And either could have won today. You have to think Fish is a little burned out after playing so many matches lately. And Gulbis is a wild card, you never know when he will find his A game and when he does he is big trouble for anybody in the world. Loved his variety in serving it out at 5-4 in the third down BP and the drop shot then semi dropper to the Fish forehand on MP, amazing finish for the high powered Latvian who also showed some newfound guile and unpredictability today. The Canas influence no doubt.
Dan markowitz · August 1, 2011 at 4:40 am
Why is Fish even playing LA and Atlanta after he got drummed by Djoko in 3rd round of US Open last year? Playing 5 events before the Open in US summer is nuts. Nice piece, Gans, although were Gulbis and Bogey really playin Top 10 tennis? I got to see Gulbis do more in bigger events to think he’ll ever sniff Top 10.
Michael · August 1, 2011 at 3:08 pm
“Why is Fish even playing LA and Atlanta”
Whenever a player’s schedule is nonsensical to me, I assume its a money thing. Maybe his sponsor wants him to play these events. Maybe there is appearance money ?
“after he got drummed by Djoko in 3rd round of US Open last year?”
Do you really think it matters how much tennis he’s played once he has to play someone of the level of Djoker at a Major. Mardy is having an impressive later part of his career but he’s never shown any ability to do damage in the late stages of a Major. I think I expressed this opinion when someone was hyping his W chances this year.
“although were Gulbis and Bogey really playin Top 10 tennis?”
Bogey doesn’t play top 10 tennis and Gulbis rarely does.
“I got to see Gulbis do more in bigger events to think he’ll ever sniff Top 10.”
Boy was I wrong about Gulbis. First time I saw him live he dismantled (#7 I think he was) Robredo at the USO. I thought Gulbis would be a contender for majors. It looked like he had all the weapons. I missed that he was missing the one located between the ears.
Scoop Malinowski · August 1, 2011 at 3:47 pm
Four years ago NOBODY would have ever believed Fish was capable of making top 10, so you can never ever count out anyone for anything in tennis. Gulbis has top 5 potential, never count him out. I f he really really wants it he can do it.
Dan markowitz · August 1, 2011 at 6:37 pm
Michael, you’re right. Fish has never dine damage in a late stage of a slam, but I loot at his impressive win over Berdych at W and Delpo in Miami and think maybe Fish could make a late run at the USO. So yes I think it matters that he doesn’t wear himself out in these hot weather summer events.
Of course, he’s doing it for the money. He can’t believe this is making him sharper. Let the Gulbis’ and Isners’ play these events. Fish is Top 10 and especially late in his career he should be looking to be fresh at USO.
Michael · August 1, 2011 at 10:12 pm
Fish can play a great match and beat anyone. However, stringing together a deep run at a Major is a different task; only a select group has the potential and I don’t think he’s part of it. Gulbis even today with his questionable head has a better chance to me because he has substantially more weapons that, in theory, could be put together for 7 matches. Mardy doesn’t have the game to run through 2 or 3 elite players which you have to do to win a Slam.
@scoop, I counted Roddick out of winning another Slam many years ago (did the same with Chang by the way shortly after he won the French). Gulbis, unlike those two, has the game to win Slams. Whether he will ever put it together I don’t know.
Gans · August 2, 2011 at 4:03 am
Thanks everyone for the comments.
Dan wrote: “although were Gulbis and Bogey really playin Top 10 tennis?â€
To which, Michael posted: “Bogey doesn’t play top 10 tennis and Gulbis rarely does.”
I think you didn’t watch the match then. Gulbis played brilliantly right from the start. That’s why the score was 6-2.
The second set saw some breathtaking tennis from the baseline by both players. Bogomolov was quick and solid in his ground strokes. His transition from defense to offense was in the level of say, David Ferrer.
Let’s take a look at the top ten players. Besides the big three we have Murray, Soderling, Ferrer, Monfils, Fish, Berdych and Almagro. Could the second set that Gulbis and Bogomolov played match the quality of say, Berdych-Almagro or Ferrer-Monfils or Soderling-Murray? My answer is a big YES!
Now let’s talk about Gulbis who is more consistent and talented than Bogey. Does he have the game to beat the players ranked from #10-#4? My answer is a big YES!
I still remember his 2nd round encounter with Andy Roddick in the 2008 US Open. He simply outplayed Andy in front of the 25,000 capacity home crowd for the first 1.5 sets. Andy made no adjustment to his game and there was nothing he could do except wait for Gulbis to blow himself, which he obliged.
There are few players who have that capacity to play extraordinarily well but simply can’t sustain that level for an entire match or a tournament. Another player is Davydenko. He can blow anyone off the court if he plays his best.
I still think, Roger Federer was fortunate not to have lost in the QF of last year’s Aussie Open. Davy came into the tournament having beaten Federer twice I believe at that point and winning the year-end championship.
Davy crushed Federer for the best part of 1.5 sets. It was very similar to the Gulbis-Roddick match, but then went on to choke big time to lose the match in four sets. It was a pity that he couldn’t push Fed to a fifth set, but Davy had the talent to win that match.
Both Gulbis and Davydenko have fantastic two handed-backhands and reliable forehands, and are extremely quick. Both can turn defense to offense in a flash. I think, Davy takes the ball a little earlier than Gulbis, but Gulbis has a better serve.
The problem is only in their minds. The Self 1 interference. Gulbis has showed us a glimpse of his brilliance here and there. Last year he beat Federer!
As Scoop mentioned, never rule out someone’s inner capacity. When they figure themselves out, pure talent would emerge.
Scoop Malinowski · August 3, 2011 at 5:25 pm
Gulbis looked like a grand slam winner the way he played against Delpo, he just blew Delpo off the court really. Now after saying that, lemme run for cover : )
Michael · August 3, 2011 at 8:16 pm
“I still remember his 2nd round encounter with Andy Roddick in the 2008 US Open.”
I remember it the same way.
http://www.protennisphotos.com
2008 US Open Main Draw, images 20 and 21
Andrew Miller · August 4, 2011 at 11:05 pm
Canas must be a good coach. My guess is Gulbis is playing a zillion tournaments is because Canas believes that Gulbis can play all of them, get grooved, and have more than enough in the tank for the US Open. Maybe a momentum strategy – get Gulbis match tough and, because he’s young he’ll recover – and make him somebody nobody wants to play in New York.
Maybe this is what Canas did to make it back to the big leagues in 2007.