Gulbis: Some in top 100 ‘can't play tennis’

[Vieira151]

That is why Nadal is so hard to beat on clay. He just does the same thing over and over. It's those individual points, where the opponent misses by a hair, or chooses a wrong shot that allows Nadal to win. Nadal's tactics are:

Plan A: Grind from baseline
Plan B: Do Plan A with more intensity
Plan C: Do Plan B better.


And it works. The majority of the time, that is.

[Moralspain]

I agree with what gulbis said.. Rafa did nothing special other than hitting moonballs.. It was gulbis's game actually which decided the match result.. Gulbis was the better player in that match if you ask me.. Just got unlucky

In tennis, the winner was the better player, it's that simple. 2 guys hitting balls and winning points, and the one winning more points gets the match. 2+2=4.
That said i get what Gulbis said because i've had that feeling when guys just serving bombs gets matches but again it's tennis, you can win playing moonballs, dropshots, slices, aces, FH to the line, Fhs with more spin, BHs etc..., in my opinion Gulbis was just frustrated...but again i understand him.

btw how do you measure that "just got unlucky"?, just asking, if he misses it's up to him, if he can't manage moon balls it's again his fault not Rafa's, if he can't keep himself in calm..guess it's again his fault...just don't get it..... unlucky? in tennis?

[Ali-Iqb93]

Just look at the stats.. Gulbis was much better in stats than rafa.. Gulbis won more points overall in the match... 97/191 and rafa with 94/191..I m only saying that i agree when gulbis says that rafa did nothing special.. It was gulbis who missed some shots and gave that match to rafa

[Moralspain]

It was gulbis who missed some shots and gave that match to rafa

100% true

[Vieira151]

and the one winning more points gets the match. 2+2=4.

Not necessarily true. I would word it as "The one winning more of the important points gets the match".

You can lose a match, but still win more points than your opponent. Tennis scoring allows for that to happen. Tennis is all about the important points, where players have to play 'clutch'.

[Moralspain]

and the one winning more points gets the match. 2+2=4.

Not necessarily true. I would word it as "The one winning more of the important points gets the match".

You can lose a match, but still win more points than your opponent. Tennis scoring allows for that to happen. Tennis is all about the important points, where players have to play 'clutch'.

again you're right my friend

[Rob ITST]

Actually, it's the one who wins the last point.

[djarvik]

It is quite possible in tennis, to be the better player throughout the match but to end up NOT the best player when match ends and you lose that last point. Tennis is not linear, it is comprised from ups and downs. What I was saying, that majority of ups and downs came from Gulbis end. Rafa mostly pushed the ball and waited for Gulbis to decide the outcome of the match. Not a bad idea considering their past matches and the fact he is playing one of the most unstable mentally guys on the tour.

There is no question that in general terms Rafa is a better player, he has the hardware to prove it, but at the same time, Rafa would LOVE Gulbises talents and would LOVE to be able to hit hard serves, fh, bh. So him somehow saying this is not important and diminish the fact that he looked totally over-matched in that department most match is kinda lame.

From where I saw, Gulbis was not just hitting every ball as hard as he can (as Rafa says), that is just not true and that is a losing tactic in EVERY match, not just against him. Any other player but Rafa would have lost that day to Gulbis. He was hitting hard, but also within himself. He was defending well, serving well, coming to net, hitting drop shots etc.


I just hope this experience for Ernests is a move in the right direction. He kept his composure, didn't break a single racket, no major outburst - even after missing about 5-6 FH in a raw in that third set.

This is the best I have seen him play since his arrival. Very mature and Big game.

[Florian]

I gotta say Rafa is one of the only players sending moonballs on clay constantly so that's why Gulbis and others can hit some 100+ miles/hr sometimes, with lower balls there wouldn't be so many shoulder accels

[djarvik]

Well yeah, then it would be easier for Gulbis. Why? Return. Rafa stands so far back that he has to moon ball, that's where Gulbis attacks the most, misses the most. Most other players would be way closer - resulting in even more aces and service winner for Erny.

[Vieira151]

Actually, it's the one who wins the last point.

Also true.

[TomBs]

Actually, it's the one who wins the last point.

Also true.

Not if the one who wins the last point retires or gets disqualified after that point.

In the end it's the one who wins the match that wins the match.


Hi all btw, been a while since I've been here.

[Moralspain]

Actually, it's the one who wins the last point.

Also true.

Not if the one who wins the last point retires or gets disqualified after that point.

In the end it's the one who wins the match that wins the match.


Hi all btw, been a while since I've been here.

Nice to have you back mate

[Vieira151]

Sup, TomBs.

Also, you also make a good point.

[ICEMAN_9588]

I went to Rome, and I saw Nadal-Gulbis live (and Djokovic-Berdych the day after).
I can guarantee you guys, tv doesn't give the real power of Gulbis shots. This guy is tremendous, very powerful and absolutely crazy.
Nadal had 3 consecutive set points on 5-4 in the 2nd and in the first one of them, Gulbis played a stop volley from the service line, cause he was caught in "no man's land".

I mean, that's a crazy shot by itself, and plus, it was a set point.

Anyway, in the first set, Nadal couldnt find a way, literally, he was completely under Gulbis control, could have been 6-0 and nothing to say about it.
But then Rafa started playing a little better, his shots became deeper and deeper in the court, and Gulbis made more unforced.
After all, his tennis is highly dangerous, and little by little shots that in the beginning caught the line, then went out.

And also, after the first set and from the late second, Nadal missed something like 2 or 3 returns on Gulbis serve, and I'm talking about a first serve average speed of 210 kmh, amazing.
Gulbis had one chance on 61 1-1 when he reached 2 break points, and another big one in the 3rd, 4-4 and 15-30 on Rafa's serve, he should have capitalized. But he went long on a 2nd service return.

The big difference between great shot-makers and great players.