The ongoing saga that is Ernests Gulbis' season took another twist today.

The good news: The enigmatic Gulbis feels positive about his practice sessions with new coach Thomas Enqvist.

The bad news: Gulbis suffered his seventh opening-round loss of the season in Monte Carlo.

The ugly news: Andreas Haider-Maurer thrashed the 13th-seeded Gulbis 6-1, 6-0 at the Monte-Carlo Country Club.

The 2014 Roland Garros semifinalist said apart from the 58-minute demolition on court, it was mainly an "unbelievable" experience in the Principality.

"In practice I played very well," Gulbis told the media in Monte Carlo. "I’m lacking confidence now on the court for the match. I was in a great state of mind this week practicing. Every change is a good change. With [new coach Thomas Enqvist], it was a really positive environment on the court. He gave me a boost. He pushed me. Everything was really good, except the match. This past hour was bad in Monte Carlo. All the rest of the week was really unbelievable.”