Dimitrov wins ATP Finals
LONDON: Grigor Dimitrov beat David Goffin 7-5, 4-6, 6-3 to win the ATP Finals on Sunday, becoming the first debutant to triumph at the endof-season finale since 1998.
The Bulgarian sixth seed took the first set with three breaks of serve but faltered in the second as his Belgian opponent levelled the match.
As the tension mounted in the decider, Dimitrov passed up four championship points but made the fifth one count, to win the biggest title of his career. “It has been a tremendous two weeks for me,” he said. “It is such an honour to play here. This week has been one of the best I have had.
“David is such a tremendous guy, forget the tennis. He can hit the ball well also so congrats to him. He is one of the most improved players this past week and months. It was an unbelievable effort. I am very proud to play him in the final.
“I am lost for words. My team have been unbelievable, my family.”
The Bulgarian came into the title decider unbeaten at London’s O2 Arena, with a healthy 4-1 head-tohead record against Goffin, including a 6-0, 6-2 win in the round-robin stage.
But Goffin was buoyed by wins over world number one Rafael Nadal and a gutsy effort against second seed Roger Federer, coming back from a set down to beat the Swiss in the semifinals.
Both players struggled to hold serve at the start of the contest in front of a feisty packed house and the error count was high from both men.
After three consecutive breaks, the Belgian was the first to hold his serve, forging ahead 3-1 and the match then settled back into a more predictable pattern. But as time ran out for Dimitrov, Goffin played a poor service game, going long on a forehand to concede another break of serve as the Bulgarian levelled the match at 4-4. The errors continued to flow from a nervy-looking Goffin and Dimitrov finally secured the decisive break on his fifth set point when the Belgian thumped a forehand into the net. Goffin, 26, landed just 42 per cent of first serves in the first set and made 20 unforced errors, struggling to find the bite and consistency he had enjoyed in beating Federer.