SUBSCRIBE TO NEWSLETTER!
 
 
Facebook Social Button Twitter Social Button Follow Us on InstagramYouTube Social Button
NewsScoresRankingsLucky Letcord PodcastShopPro GearPickleballGear Sale


By Erik Gudris | Tuesday, March 11, 2014

 
Gulbis Stretch Indian Wells

Ernests Gulbis found his own highlight reel of exceptional shots late in the third set to defeat Grigor Dimitrov at the BNP Paribas Open.

Photo Credit: AP

If the ATP Tour is looking for its next big rivalry, it seems to have it found very quickly this season between Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria and Ernests Gulbis of Latvia. Both men beat the other in two previous matches and found themselves squaring off in a "must-see" meeting at the BNP Paribas Open on Tuesday.

But this third encounter took a while before it truly started to live up to its billing. That was even after Dimitrov, nicknamed "Hot Shot" because of his penchant for hitting inexplicably good shots from out of nowhere, hit a stunning behind-the-back shot while up 2-0.

After that, Dimitrov really didn't need to pull out any more flash to extend his lead over an often annoyed looking Gulbis. Going up a double break, Dimitrov soon closed out the one-sided set 6-2.

Gulbis, who appeared to strike up an early rapport with the always gregarious umpire Mohamed Lahyani calling this match, returned to the court after a brief bathroom break. He must have found what he was looking for off-court, as his big serve started cranking in easy points.

Gulbis backed that up by winning the best rally of the afternoon with patient precision to get a break for 3-1. With Dimitrov attempting to hit shots from further beyond the baseline, Gulbis responded by snatching another break of serve to eventually take the second set.

Having not even spent an hour on court yet, both men now found themselves level with one set to go. That's when the match really began.

As Dimitrov started to play better, so did Gulbis, who tossed in an ace to save a break point followed up by a dead drop shot winner to hold for 1-all. A few games later, Dimitrov would make a tweener while Gulbis, missing a forehand, delivered one of his trademark racquet cracks, earning a warning.

When Lahyani handed Gulbis a time violation during his next service game, the Latvian started a protracted conversation with Lahyani, that soon had Dimitrov asking if they could get on with it. Gulbis, though still not really satisfied, banged down a few big serves for 3-all.

Even with several badly hit forehands, Gulbis would find way to hold serve later for 5-all. That's when Gulbis made his move. A great dipping forehand pass gave him a 15-40 advantage, and a perfectly struck down-the-line backhand winner sealed the break for Gulbis at 6-5.

As time started to run out for Dimitrov, he tried to make his own move. But he went for too much on a forehand sending it well long that would give Gulbis 30-0. One big serve followed by an even bigger one at match point would deliver the 2-6, 6-1, 7-5 win for Gulbis.

Dimitrov hit 20 winners to 31 from Gulbis. The Latvian struck 35 unforced errors to 30 from Dimitrov.

Dimitrov once will again make the "hot shot" video reels, but it's the often unpredictable yet, of late, more consistent Gulbis who now finds himself in the fourth round, where he will next face Spain's Roberto Bautista Agut.

 

Latest News