Novak Djokovic isn’t the only one on a streak.  A player that once trained at the same academy as the number 1 player is also on a streak, namely, Ernests Gulbis.

Gulbis is certainly a mercurial player.  Think Safin, Ivanisevic, or perhaps McEnroe from days of old.  His career looks like the recovery parts of Agassi without the bright flashes.  Gulbis first came to attention with a fourth round US Open run in 2007 and followed that up with a quarterfinal run at the French Open.  Then, it became more likely that Gulbis would lose in the first round of a Slam than win one.  Everyone felt he was talented, but unfocused.  There are emotional types like Gulbis on tour.  Jerzy Janowicz seems the closest in temperament and perhaps talent.

Gulbis finally decided he just needed to work.  He was tired of players that he felt he was better than being ranked above him.  So, despite an upset of Berdych in last year’s Wimbledon, his ranking plummeted, and he had to assess his game.  His mother had suggested he quit the sport.  Gulbis decided not to go to Melbourne.  He felt he would have to qualify, and then if he lost, he’d have spent a lot of money with not much to show for it.  Instead, he spent the time to train.

Gulbis will now tell you that hard work pays off.  Indeed, he only had modest goals to break into the top 100 by April, so he’s ahead of schedule with a rank just inside 70.

The surge back to the top started the week before last as Gulbis had to qualify (again) to get into the main draw.  Gulbis needed to win 3 rounds to get out of qualies, then upset Querrey and Haas before beating unlikely finalist, Roger-Vasselin, also a qualifier ranked in the 100s.

That was 8 matches, 3 in qualies, and 5 more in the main draw.  The final was on Sunday.  By Tuesday, Gulbis went through qualies winning 2 rounds.  He beat Feliciano Lopez in the opening round handily, then had a comfortable win over Tipsarevic who may be injured.

Today, he was cruising to a 5-2 lead when a time violation and other issues started bringing  Gulbis’s volatility into the fore and when he gets upset, he plays badly.  He started losing game after game and eventually the set.  Any other year, he might have faded badly, but Gulbis calmed himself down and continued to play, and got ahead of Gulbis, taking sets 2 and 3, 6-3 and 6-4.  That makes 2 qualies and 3 main round matches, for 13 matches.

Up next for Gulbis is Rafael Nadal who had a walkover and didn’t have to play Leonardo Mayer.