TENNIS FRENCH OPEN 2014 – Ernests Gulbis thoroughly dismantled Tomas Berdych in straight sets 6-3 6-2 6-4. As in the 4th round, Gulbis looked to be in supreme control of the match from start to finish, dictating plays and dominating in all areas of the match. Cordell Hackshaw
Interviews, Results, OOP, Draws from the Roland Garros
The “Federer Curse” is the name of a phenomenon on tour or perhaps a belief held by Roger Federer’s fans that the player who beat him in a major, will go on to lose in the next round. Now this “dubious theory” has held up to be true for the last 8 majors when Federer was not the winner. Therefore, when Ernests Gulbis (18) took out Federer in five sets to face Tomas Berdych (6) who has a 4-2 head-to-head against the Latvian including an easy straight sets victory earlier this year, most people thought that Berdych will be the victor. However, it seemed that Gulbis is not one for superstitions as he thoroughly dismantled the Czech in straight sets 6-3 6-2 6-4. As in his 4th round match, Gulbis looked to be in supreme control of the match from start to finish, dictating plays and dominating in all areas of the match.
Gulbis had a 4-0 lead before Berdych was able to realize that this was a major quarterfinal and that one needed to win games to stay in the match. He broke Gulbis to get one of the breaks back but Gulbis remained alert and stayed ahead 5-2 forcing Berdych to serve to stay in the set. Berdych held serve and had a break point to get back on serve but two massive aces from Gulbis erased that quickly to bring up set point. Berdych could not hold up as he dumped his forehand into the net to give Gulbis the set 6-3. The usually sporadic Gulbis was showing great determination to win this match. He had 4 aces in the 1st set as well as winning 75% on his first serve points and 60% on his second serve along with 11 winners and 4 errors. Berdych on the other hand could only garner 55% and 42% of the points on his first and second serves respectively added to the fact that he had no aces, 4 winners and 7 errors.
One expected Berdych to really get things going in the 2nd set but he was soon down the double break again and served for a 2 sets to love advantage at 5-2. Gulbis took the set 6-2 and as in the first two sets, broke Berdych for the early lead 2-0 in the 3rd set. Berdych was being, outclassed, outmatched, outwit and outhit on the court. Even he himself noted, “With the way I played today, I really couldn’t even possibly think that I can make that match and I can win, because really the way I played today was pretty bad to be successful today.” Gulbis remained excellent on serve and kept his nose out in front to close out the match 6-3 6-2 6-4 when Berdych committed his 25th error, backhand into the net.
“Today everything was good. I felt physically so good. I felt that I can run forever. I felt that he cannot make winner, you know?…I felt that I covered it really well. If I feel so confident, you know, from the baseline, then everything just comes together.” Gulbis said after the match. Berdych on the other hand was hardly gracious in defeat, “[A]bout his game, especially today, well, he played solid, but he doesn’t have to bring anything really special today. You know, I was not in the shape to cause him some damage and make him some tough time.” Looking at the numbers this is far from true as Gulbis was better in every area. He won 81% of his first serve points, 59% on 2nd serve, 5/8 on break points with 31 winners and 17 errors. Gulbis faced no break points in the 2nd and 3rd sets. Berdych won 69% on first serves and 44% on second serves points. He had 17 winners and 25 errors. Gulbis will face Novak Djokovic (2) in the semifinals. The last time they met at a major was the 2008 French Open quarterfinals. Djokovic won and has a 4-1 head-to-head against the Latvian. However, Gulbis had this to say on the matter, “I think just for me it’s 0 0 with him in matches. The way I’m playing now, I never played like this. I never felt like this. It’s just 0 0. What was in the past I don’t even consider.”
