Gulbis...what's going on!!

[stotty]

When Gulbis played Nadal at Wimbledon 2008, I thought the guy had a real future...his forehand in that game was terrific.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LloOohU9Yio

He never seemed to materialise into the player I thought he might. So I checked him out. I was shocked. What has happened to that great forehand. Or is the player in this clip a look-a-like of Gulbis? Can someone shed some light here? This can't be for real! His forehand in this practice clip looks much different to the one in 2008.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IaNFxtTUwq8

[stroke]

It looks like he locks in the supinated forearm in preparation, and no longer has any flip component. He is losing the dynamic component of the type 3 fh in doing this. It is weird how he has evolved into this.

[klacr]

I commented on Gulbis a few days ago when he was playing Del Potro in Rotterdam.

His left arm completely shoots straight out, no pro turn, left arm not across body but actually pointing outwards, forward towards court. Looks more awkward from a rear or front view.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AExSzrqRFLQ

I refuse to speak negatively about his forehand stroke as I'm just not that type of person, and his forehand still has more pop than 99.9% of the tennis playing public so I rather not claim blasphemy on his technique. It's not the most aesthetically pleasing but oh well...

There must be a reason for this drastic change. Whether its valid or not is another story.

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

[julian1]

Is the one below better

I commented on Gulbis a few days ago when he was playing Del Potro in Rotterdam.

His left arm completely shoots straight out, no pro turn, left arm not across body but actually pointing outwards, forward towards court. Looks more awkward from a rear or front view.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AExSzrqRFLQ

I refuse to speak negatively about his forehand stroke as I'm just not that type of person, and his forehand still has more pop than 99.9% of the tennis playing public so I rather not claim blasphemy on his technique. It's not the most aesthetically pleasing but oh well...

There must be a reason for this drastic change. Whether its valid or not is another story.

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

Is the one below better

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&v=DUzlWfEukEc&NR=1

A quote from Wilkipedia
--->
Gulbis primarily employs an offensive baseline playing style. Gulbis' most consistent shot is his forehand, which is taken with rapid pace and relatively flat execution, a short swing and high levels of wrist action, which causes the shot to be volatile and difficult to read. His running forehand typically has a slice action. Ernests has a right handed double-handed backhand, which is also taken very flat and with an extremely short swing. Gulbis is also known for his finesse shots, including the offensive topspin lob and drop shot, both of which he can strike from any position, including from deep in the court. Gulbis employs the drop shot consistently and often, sometimes to the point of derision. Gulbis plays an extremely aggressive, winner-driven game, which often leads to a high unforced error count, making his consistency an issue in tough matches, often causing him to be likened to Marat Safin.

[stotty]

Switches

I have since watched more clips of Gulbis. He seems to switch between a more normal forehand and the weird one depending on the time he has. If he has a slow ball we get the weird one; a faster ball we get a normal looking shot...how strange.

I'd be having sleepless nights if a student of mine started doing this...

[klacr]

It's a unique stroke to put it mildly. Having seen Gulbis play in person before this technical change, his forehand looked better but it wasn't that breathtaking to begin with. With that said, what has he lost on his forehand that he had before?

Watching clips of him he's still generating plenty of pace, plenty of spin and is quite capable to hitting many into the net as well as hitting some balls to the backdrop of the courts.

I'd really love to know what caused this change and the thought process behind it.
I doubt if he was asked, Gulbis would elaborate. Players are notorious for not expanding on their stroke techniques and even fewer usually can explain it specifically and with the detail and technical jargon that those of us in this forum would love to hear.

Hopefully we'll find out sooner than later.

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

[stotty]

It's a unique stroke to put it mildly. Having seen Gulbis play in person before this technical change, his forehand looked better but it wasn't that breathtaking to begin with. With that said, what has he lost on his forehand that he had before?

Watching clips of him he's still generating plenty of pace, plenty of spin and is quite capable to hitting many into the net as well as hitting some balls to the backdrop of the courts.

Hmm...he was 21 in the world...now 118...I would say something is clearly up and not working as well as it did.

[10splayer]

When Gulbis played Nadal at Wimbledon 2008, I thought the guy had a real future...his forehand in that game was terrific.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LloOohU9Yio

He never seemed to materialise into the player I thought he might. So I checked him out. I was shocked. What has happened to that great forehand. Or is the player in this clip a look-a-like of Gulbis? Can someone shed some light here? This can't be for real! His forehand in this practice clip looks much different to the one in 2008.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IaNFxtTUwq8

yeah, what is he thinking? that really looks bad.

[julian1]

Couple of facts

Hmm...he was 21 in the world...now 118...I would say something is clearly up and not working as well as it did.

See

http://www.menstennisforums.com/showthread.php?p=12135494

He does NOT play Grand Slams any more (after getting to quaters of Roland Garros,I believe)

[GeoffWilliams]

IF my father was a billionaire, I'd be a head case too. He's the one player on tour who can afford not to practice. Sad loss of mind.

[stotty]

Champagne Gulbis

IF my father was a billionaire, I'd be a head case too. He's the one player on tour who can afford not to practice. Sad loss of mind.

That explains a lot. Ranked at 118 he's not going to have much of champagne and dolly bird lifestyle that don_budge refers to. I'm not sure there is much of a living at 118, is there?

[stotty]

Gulbis Post...good timing

My timing of the Gulbis post seems spot on. A few days later this review of Gulbis versus Berdych match seems to have found the Gulbis forehand as strange as I did.

http://www.tennis.com/pro-game/2013/02/marseille-berdych-d-gulbis/46528/#.USVP2FrGUk8

I think his forehand has gone completely berserk, eccentric...can't see any future in it. His coach must be a fruitcake. Can anyone see this new forehand of his working?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AExSzrqRFLQ

[julian1]

Coach

My timing of the Gulbis post seems spot on. A few days later this review of Gulbis versus Berdych match seems to have found the Gulbis forehand as strange as I did.

http://www.tennis.com/pro-game/2013/02/marseille-berdych-d-gulbis/46528/#.USVP2FrGUk8

I think his forehand has gone completely berserk, eccentric...can't see any future in it. His coach must be a fruitcake. Can anyone see this new forehand of his working?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AExSzrqRFLQ

His NOMINAL coach is respectable-runs some tennis ACADEMIES.
You may google his name,if you want
Forehand is NOT good- SSC is NOT generated IMHO
But I am NOT an expert.

[julian1]

Coach

My timing of the Gulbis post seems spot on. A few days later this review of Gulbis versus Berdych match seems to have found the Gulbis forehand as strange as I did.

http://www.tennis.com/pro-game/2013/02/marseille-berdych-d-gulbis/46528/#.USVP2FrGUk8

I think his forehand has gone completely berserk, eccentric...can't see any future in it. His coach must be a fruitcake. Can anyone see this new forehand of his working?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AExSzrqRFLQ

Coach-Gunther Bresnik

[johnyandell]

And loss of shoulder turn--at least in a practice clip. I was shocked the first time I saw him play at Indian Wells a few years ago. He had that look of shot making greatness. But the look is not the same as greatness.