The unpredictable Latvian Ernests Gulbis, seeded 13th, exited timidly from the ATP Monte Carlo Masters on Monday, a 6-1, 6-0 first-round victim of Austria’s Andreas Haider-Maurer.
The admittedly slumping world No. 17 suffered his eighth loss from nine matches played this season, which began with a shoulder injury carried over from 2014 which disrupted his 2015 preparation.
Nevertheles, the 26-year-old who shocked the sport with a Roland Garros semifinal last spring, is far from panic stations.
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With supreme logic, the loveable outsider quickly analysed the situation: "Have I ever won more than two rounds in this tournament? No. Is it something new? No.
Gulbis lasted for less than an hour against Haider-Maurer, who plays Australian Bernard Tomic in the second round at one of the most picturesque venues in tennis.
The Latvian, son of one of his Baltic country’s major industrialists, finished last season in the ATP top 20 for the first time in his career. He played quarterfinals 11 times and won a career-high 41 matches, adding two more titles to comprise a total of six and a flawless 6-0 record in title matches.
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But Gulbis remains calm as he works through his current situation.
In another first-round match, German Philipp Kohlschreiber defeated Kazakh Mikhail Kukushkin 6-4, 6-4.
On Sunday, Bernard Tomic battled from a set down to reach the second round, beating Lukas Rosol 4-6, 6-2, 6-3 in one hour and 30 minutes. The Australian converted eight of his 11 break points as he defeated Rosol for the second time this season.
The 22-year-old, who resides in Monte-Carlo, is back at his career-high Emirates ATP ranking of No. 27 this week after a good showing during the March Masters, including a run to the quarterfinals in Indian Wells.
Fifth seed David Ferrer will open his campaign against Victor Estrella Burgos, who beat Simone Bolelli 6-4, 7-6(5) in one hour and 39 minutes.
Florian Mayer enjoyed a winning return from injury as he defeated Mikhail Youzhny 7-6(8), 6-4 in one hour and 32 minutes. The German, formerly as high as World No. 18 in the Emirates ATP rankings, had been sidelined for 13 months with a groin injury.
Sock wins first title Meanwhile, Jack Sock captured his first ATP Tour title, holding off eighth-seeded Sam Querrey 7-6(9), 7-6(2) in an all-American final in Houston.
Angelique Kerber ended her WTA dry spell with a gritty three-set victory over rising US talent Madison Keys for the Charleston claycourt crown.
Kerber, a former world number five, battled back from 4-1 down in the third set to defeat 20-year-old Keys 6-2, 4-6, 7-5.
The results: At Monte Carlo: ATP Monte Carlo Masters: First round: Andreas Haider-Maurer bt Ernests Gulbis 6-1, 6-0; Philipp Kohlschreiber bt Mikhail Kukushkin 6-4, 6-4; Benoit Paire bt Denis Kudla 6-3, 7-6(3); Alexandr Dolgopolov bt Borna Coric 7-5, 5-7, 6-2; David Goffin bt Norbert Gombos 6-1, 6-4; Fabio Fognini bt Jerzy Janowicz 6-3, 6-1; Sergiy Stakhovsky bt Pablo Carreno Busta 7-6(3), 4-6, 6-4; Joao Sousa bt Edouardo Roger-Vasselin 6-1, 3-6, 6-0; Albert Ramos bt Robin Haase 6-1, 6-1; Bernard Tomic bt Lukas Rosol 4-6, 6-2, 6-3; Victor Estrella Burgos bt Simone Bolelli 6-4, 7-6(5); Florian Mayer bt Mikhail Youzhny 7-6(8), 6-4.
At Houston: ATP tournament: Final: Jack Sock bt Sam Querrey 7-6(9), 7-6(2).
At Casablanca: ATP Grand Prix Hassan II: Final: Martin Klizan bt Daniel Gimeno 6-2, 6-2.
At Charleston: WTA tournament: Final: Angelique Kerber bt Madison Keys 6-2, 4-6, 7-5.