David Nalbandian
Lleyton Hewitt
James Blake
Christian Harrison
Shame on the organization for not giving a wild card to Gulbis. He pulled out from the event driven by this decision and not wanting to go through qualifying again. Will get ready for Clay season.
Nalby and Hewitt I understand, they are household names and playing rather good this season. But James Blake? 2-3 this season and a loss to Gulbis 1-6 4-6. Or Harrison? ...a youngster who did not play a tour match this year and JUST lost to....you guessed it - Gulbis in qualifying of Indian Wells.
One of the two players who took Rafa, the winner, to 3 sets in Indian Wells and the only one who actually had a chance to win him, being 2 points away from a win. A player who wins 13 matches in 16 days and arguable is one of the hottest players on the tour at the moment - doesn't get the Wild Card and is made to play qualifying once again.
F... you Sony!
The Sony Open still had one main-draw wild card remaining for the men, but Gulbis doubted it would go to him.
“I can ask,” Gulbis said in Indian Wells, “but I don’t think somebody’s going to give a Latvian guy a wild card. Let’s be honest. Doesn’t matter how good he plays.”