ATP Finals | David Goffin ousts Dominic Thiem as Grigor Dimitrov makes it three in a row

SportsCafe Desk
no photo

David Goffin was in inspired form yesterday as he outplayed Dominic Thiem to book a place in the semi-finals of the ATP World Tour finals with straight sets win. Grigor Dimitrov kept his 100% record in the tournament intact as he got the better of Pablo Carreno Busta in straight sets of 6-1, 6-1.

With the winner qualifying for the semifinals to meet Roger Federer, the stakes were raised in the virtual quarter-final clash between David Goffin and Dominic Thiem and it was the Belgian who got the better of the exchange, even if it didn’t look like that at the start. Thiem raced to a 3-0 lead in quick time and it appeared that Goffin, who beat Rafael Nadal in his first match, had finally run out of steam. However, the 26-year-old fought back to win the next five games in a row, including breaking his opponent twice. He closed out the set three games later with his first set point of the match.

After both players held their first service games of the second set to love, it was Goffin who made the first move as he broke the Austrian twice in the next three games to take control of the set. Thiem, however, was not ready to give up just yet and in the next game stretched the Belgian to the absolute limit with a 21 point game, where he had three break points that he failed to convert. With Goffin needing just one more game to book a place in the semifinal, he upped the ante and broke the Austrian for a third time in the set to complete the rout. Goffin will now face the in-form Roger Federer in the semifinal of the year ending Finale.

Grigor Dimitrov has been in exceptional touch in the tournament so far and the odds were stacked against Carreno Busta to get something out of the game. The latter’s worst fears came to life in the early stages of the game as Dimitrov raced to a 5-0 lead, allowing his opponent to win just 5 points. The World Number 6 closed out the first set over the next two games before taking a 4-0 lead in the second as well. It was only a matter of time before Carreno Busta’s short stay at the Finals came to an end and it happened on the back of yet another break as “Baby Federer” secured the match 6-1, 6-1. He will now face Jack Sock in the semifinal and a possible final date with Roger Federer appears to be a distinct possibility. 

Get updates! Follow us on

laught0
astonishment0
sadness0
heart0
like0
dislike0

Comments

Sign up or log in to your account to leave comments and reactions

0 Comments