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By Erik Gudris
Thursday, Aug. 8, 2013
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Unpredictable.
That's how Ernests Gulbis describes himself. And, in many ways, it is the perfect adjective for a man and a player who often defies expectation and explanation both on and off the court, whether it's with his unorthodox forehand or his candid comments.
But after an up and mostly down few years, Gulbis finds himself moving back up in the tennis world.
This week at the Rogers Cup in Montreal, Gulbis is not only back inside the world's top 40, but also into the third round facing one of the sport's biggest stars -- Andy Murray. He got there after posting a three-set win over the recently red-hot Fabio Fognini in a classic match filled with momentum swings and meltdowns galore.
READ -- Gulbis' Blustery Win in Montreal
Interviewing Gulbis can also be an impromptu adventure. After requesting a one-on-one chat with him, the 24-year-old Latvian appeared in the press area looking relaxed and upbeat. But with all the interview rooms full, we both searched for any space that would accommodate us.
Walking down the corridor, Gulbis stopped near the men's bathroom.
"What about here," he said with a laugh as he pushed ajar the swinging door. At this point, it looked like our best option.
Fortunately the ATP rep with us opened yet another door leading into a cramped office. Past the filing cabinets and stray chairs surrounding us, Gulbis and I sat down in a small conference room lined with boxes.
When I told Gulbis that many fans complained on social media that his match versus Fognini was not televised and that he's one of those players many want to watch no matter what round he is in, Gulbis seemed surprised by this.
"That's good. 'Cause I think if I play well it is good for the sport. Because I think I can bring an interesting game, interesting tennis," he said. "I'm unpredictable. For example, if I have to choose somebody to watch, I would prefer to watch (Gael) Monfils over…I don't want to disrespect nobody but over some other player. Players who can hit big and play big. Nobody wants to see a runner who just plays on someone else's mistakes. So I think I can be interesting for the game. I just need to get to the top 20, top 10 and then I'll be on the big stages."
Though he reached a career high ranking of No. 21, last year saw Gulbis plummet outside the top 100. That period sparked a moment of crisis for the Latvian, who spent the end of 2012 reflecting on where he was and what he wanted to do.
"I played two Challengers in the middle of nowhere, around October and November, and had to qualify because no one would give me a wildcard," he explained. "It was tough and depressing time you know. I was sitting in my country house in Latvia afterwards and thinking 'How did I get here?' I won't say even anger but just disappointment towards myself. I didn't want to wake up one morning and be 30 and realize that I missed out on the opportunity which God, the universe gave to me. It gave me a lot of talent, a lot of skills in this sport. And if I just throw it away I would be really disappointed and I didn't want to be in this position. So I just want to push these four or five years and that is what I am doing."
Hearing Gulbis talk about dwelling on life while hiding away at a country house might make some roll their eyes. But the Latvian still wants to make a name for himself on his terms in the grinding and difficult professional game. To achieve that, he cut out a lot of what he calls "bad stuff" he was doing off court. He also credits working with his new coach Gunther Bresnik as a positive step for his career.
"Basically I made all the wrong decisions possible in my earlier career. I learned from them and stopped doing them."
Though Gulbis has said he is making better choices throughout this season, it appears this new version is really sticking around. Right down to the fresh shaven, clean-cut look he now sports as opposed to the wild, unruly mop of hair that went in all directions, much like his career a few years ago.
As we continue talking, the subject turns to Gulbis' upcoming match against Wimbledon champion Andy Murray. Though he has never beaten Murray in five tries, neither has met since 2010. Gulbis took a long pause before commenting.
"I like it. I'm really looking forward to it. This match with Fognini was for me much more difficult pressure-wise than it will be tomorrow. This was an important match for me this hard court season to get the confidence. Obviously Murray is a top two player so I have nothing to lose. I want to bring this confidence to the court tomorrow. Probably a lot of people are thinking differently. But I think deep down inside he is also scared because, like I said, I'm a little bit unpredictable player. I can raise my level to the best of the world in matches like this, which I'm going to try to do."
Many find the sometimes capricious, sometimes whimsical, sometimes angry Gulbis off-putting. Others find his swirling personality and temperamental yet exciting game refreshing. The next four of five years of his career will probably be hard to predict. But like my chat with him in Montreal, it might be just worth the wait.
Follow Erik Gudris on Twitter @ATNtennis