Pospisil gets past Goffin to reach final
Canadian will face Monfils after upset against world No. 10
MONTPELLIER, FRANCE— Vancouver’s Vasek Pospisil upset Belgium’s David Goffin 6-3, 1-6, 7-5 to advance to the final of the Open Sud de France on Saturday.
Pospisil entered the match ranked 132nd on the ATP Tour, while Goffin was No. 10.
In their one previous meeting, Goffin beat Pospisil 7-5, 1-6, 7-6 (6) in the round of 32 at the 2013 Cincinnati Open.
“It was a very difficult match today. I am very, very happy to get through,” Pospisil said.
“I also feel a bit lucky. I was down in the third set, but it was one of those matches with a lot of ups and downs and we both played at a high level. I am proud of myself for fighting for every point, but I also feel a bit lucky to get through that one.
“I feel like I am playing a good level and anything can happen. I have a tough one tomorrow, but I’ll go out there swinging and see how it goes.”
Pospisil will play France’s Gael Monfils in Sunday’s final. Monfils, No. 9 in the world, beat Filip Krajinovic 7-6 (4), 6-2 in the tournament’s other semifinal on Saturday.
Monfils enters the final with a 5-0 head-to-head record against Pospisil. He’s won each of the 10 sets he has contested against Pospisil, most recently beating the Canadian at the 2018 European Open in Antwerp, Belgium.
“I was pleased with my performance,” said Monfils, who won the tournament in 2010 and 2014. “So far, (it has been) a great week. Hopefully, tomorrow is going to be the same.”
French players have won the
Open Sud de France seven of the past nine tournaments. Tomas Berdych (2012) of the Czech Republic and Germany’s Alexander Zverev (2017) both defeated French opponents in their finals appearances.