Novak Djokovic took on quirky Ernests Gulbis in his quarterfinal match at the Rogers Cup. After what was going to be a daytime start, the rain significantly pushed back their start time.

Gulbis has had a dreadful year to date winning five matches all season before heading to Montreal. He won two qualifying matches before winning three main draw matches to get to this match.

The Serbian was clearly pushed as he fell a set down and saved two match points in the second set, one on Gulbis’ serve, but he would hold on for a 5-7, 7-6(7), 6-1 victory.

Gulbis with opening set shocker

The plan of attack for Djokovic would be to go after the much weaker forehand side of the Latvian. The forehand of Gulbis breaks down much more due the fact of his peculiar motion where he sticks his whole left arm out during his wind up before he gets into the swing and follow through.

It was dominant serving early on with both men cruising through their service games. However, the world number one would on to break in the sixth game to up 4-2. 

In the following game, Gulbis had a mini-opening at 15-30 thanks to his closing speed allowing him to get to a Djokovic drop shot and hit a winner down the line. He would break back off of an error from the Serb. 

After a couple of holds, Gulbis had to serve to stay in the set, and he had no problems to stay alive. In the next game, the former French Open finalist had his chance to go up a break and serve out for the set. He would do that after a long rally went his way as he finished it off with a winner. After

Djokovic dumped a return into the net, the first set went Gulbis’ way 7-5 as Montreal looked to be in for a shocker.

Djokovic saves two match points to force third

After a couple of holds for each man, they played the point of the match in the fifth game to set up three break points for Gulbis. Djokovic got a short ball off Gulbis’ backhand return and took the approach shot to the Latvian’s forehand. Gulbis tried a backhand lob over Djokovic, but he’d knock an overhead to the forehand of the Latvian before his volley, which landed close to the baseline, was tracked down by Gulbis who hit a blistering backhand pass to set up three break points. Djokovic would double fault at 15-40 to give the break.

Just in the following game, the top seed earned a break back point after playing a neatly placed drop shot short enough so Gulbis would dump it into the net. He’d double fault to gift the break right back. Gulbis nearly fell in danger again on his next service game falling to deuce a few times before he held with a forehand winner. He’d find himself in danger not too long again forced to save set point at 30-40 in the 10th game. However, he got away with it after Djokovic missed a volley  wide. He would hold and would follow suit in the 12th game as they were headed to a breaker.

The first match point was at 6-4 with the Latvian serving. He was a bit too passive on this point hoping for Djokovic to make the error, but the Serb delivered a cross-court forehand winner to save that one. The second was saved off a backhand error from that Latvian. Gulbis dumped a backhand into the net to give Djokovic the set.

Djokovic runs away with decider

After taking the second set, you could feel all that momentum Gulbis had was gone in a heartbeat. A break of serve off a forehand netted by Gulbis really showcased the momentum change. A love hold for Gulbis in the third game is all he’d see on the board as it was clear domination for the world number one. Four games on the bounce for Djokovic as he faces Jeremy Chardy for a spot in the final.