Ernests Gulbis has been ranked in the top ten and won ten ATP singles titles.
Today the former elite ATP champion is 33 years old and ranked 379 in the world. Today Gulbis also won an ATP Challenger qualifying tournament match vs. 32 year old 867 ranked Jonathan Eyserric 26 64 63 in Italy.
Gulbis’ ranking is in “no-man’s-land”, well outside the top 100. His results this year are ordinary, around .500.
Wildcards into ATP main draws are an impossibility, with all the young guns far more deserving of a shot, Gulbis won’t get any free rides. He will have to grind it out the hard way to accomplish a successful comeback to professional tennis prominence.
You have to wonder what the primary inspiration for Gulbis is? Playing for the love of the game? More money, on top of the $7.9m he’s earned so far? For one last hurrah into the big time? To continue to master his game?
Gulbis is always a pleasure to watch. He has produced some sensational, world champion caliber tennis. It’s nice to see his tennis spirit is still alive and kicking, and wanting to do more.
George · July 18, 2022 at 7:39 am
Another couple of examples are Bernard Tomic, Ryan Harrison, and Donald Young. Without wildcards they are finished.
Scoop Malinowski · July 18, 2022 at 7:56 am
Yes George, these players are all still out there grinding. Harrison also still with coach David Sanguinetti at his side. Verdasco, Lopez, Wawrinka, Haase also have not given up yet either. Haase beat Gulbis twice in the same tournament this year, LL after qualies.
Scoop Malinowski · July 19, 2022 at 10:43 am
Gulbis won 2r qualies and made it to main draw but lost to the little known Santiago Rodriguez Taverna 64 76. Veteran Gilles Simon also lost to Geoffrey Blancaneaux by similar score 63 76.
Scoop Malinowski · July 20, 2022 at 4:35 pm
Goran Ivanisevic makes a revelation: “In the Aus Open, French Open and Wimbledon there were players who tested positive for Covid-19 but still competed. Then why can’t Djokovic play in the US Open?”