Ernests Gulbis Comes Through Ferrero Challenge

Ernests Gulbis had to battle back from a set down in his opening clash with former world number one Juan Carlos Ferrero.

Gulbis has been in a rich form of late winning a title in LA just a couple of weeks ago but it was a poor start from the Latvian and Ferrero capitalised.

A single dropped service games was all that Ferrero, who is battling his way back from injury, needed to take the opening set 6-3.

And while there looked like their could be a potential mini upset on the cards Gulbis suddenly swung into action.

The second set couldn't have been more different from the first as errors crept into the Ferrero game while the Latvian finally round his range.

Ferrero managed to hang onto just a single game in that second set as Gulbis too is 6-1 to force a third and deciding set.

The third set was much more even as both players found some of their best form in what was a tense and exciting climax to what had been a topsy turvy match.

Despite both players putting pressure in each other's serves they set stayed level for the opening ten games, and they were still locked together at 5-5.

Game nine had been a huge chance for Ferrero to snatch the match, at one point he was just two points from victory, before Gulbis levelled.

And it was in game eleven that Gulbis finally found his way through the Ferrero defence to break and leave himself serving for the match.

After 2 hours and fourteen minutes Gulbis wrapped up a 3-6 6-1 7-5 win to progress to the second round.

He will now face either Mikhail Youzhny or Michael Llodra.

FemaleFirst Helen Earnshaw