Belgian Goffin tastes glory at Shenzhen Open
Istomin lands Chengdu title with Baghdatis in agony
SHENZHEN, China, Oct 1, (Agencies): It was seventh time lucky for David Goffin after the Belgian beat Alexandr Dolgopolov over three sets to win the Shenzhen Open on Sunday.
The world number 12 Goffin tasted defeat in his last six finals, a bitter run stretching back to 2014.
But the 26-year-old made up for three years of disappointment with a determined display against the Ukrainian Dolgopolov to seal the title 6-4, 6-7 (5/7), 6-3 in just over two hours in southern China.
He adds the Shenzhen trophy to the two he won in 2014 in Metz, France and Kitzbuehel in Austria.
“This one is really special because you know it’s always tough to come back from injuries,” said Goffin, who retired from the French Open and missed Wimbledon with an ankle injury. “I cannot be happier today.” In Chengdu, Marcos Baghdatis retired in agony from the final of the Chengdu Open on Sunday after suffering severe back spasms, handing the title to Uzbekistan’s Denis Istomin.
Istomin was leading 3-2 in the first set when the Cypriot collapsed on the court and was unable to continue.
Baghdatis had to be helped carefully back to his seat, where he buried his head in his towel.
“I was feeling a bit of pain in my back during the week, but late after my match last night I felt some spasms,” said the 32-year-old.
“This morning I woke up a bit the same. After my warm-up, it got worse.”
Baghdatis said the spasms held off for the first few games of the final at Chengdu in southwest China after intensive physiotherapy, before striking again.
“I’ve had back issues before, but not like this,” he said.
Despite the retirement Baghdatis is set to return to the top 100 in the world.
Istomin, for whom this was a second ATP crown, is projected to rise to 53 in the rankings from 78.
“Of course I want to win the title, but not this way. I hope he gets better and will be okay for the rest of the season,” said Istomin, 31.
In Beijing, the China Open claimed its first high-profile victims on Sunday with Britain’s Johanna Konta and Svetlana Kuznetsova of Russia falling to surprise defeats in the first round.
The sixth seed Konta, who reached last year’s final, appeared woefully short of confidence in getting thrashed by Romania’s unseeded Monica Niculescu 6-1, 6-2.
Konta exited soon after Kuznetsova — the seventh seed on the Beijing outdoor hard courts — was beaten by Lara Arruabarrena, the Spanish qualifier stunning her better-known opponent 6-7 (2/7), 7-5, 6-1.
Caroline Wozniacki had a fright against a local favourite before she composed herself to go through 6-1, 6-7 (4/7), 6-1.
The Dane, ranked six in the world, made an early exit from the Wuhan Open last week.
She appeared determined to put that behind her in making a lightning-fast start in the Chinese capital, punishing China’s Wang Qiang in the first set.
But if the fifth seed thought she was going to have it easy, she was mistaken, as the 55th-ranked Wang harnessed the support of the crowd to fight back.
The 25-year-old Wang sprang a surprise in taking the second set on the tie break to level the match.
But former number one Wozniacki, the 2010 China Open champion, regained her poise to seal the deciding set with ease.
The 27-year-old faces Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova of Russia in round two.
Also through is reigning China Open champion Agnieszka Radwanska, who defeated the German qualifier Carina Witthoeft 7-5, 6-3.
“When you’re defending so many points it’s always a little more pressure,” Radwanska said.
“There are no easy matches and you’re going to have to play your best game from the first round. I’m very happy with a two-set win.” David Goffin of Belgium hits a return against Alexandr Dolgopolov of Ukraine during their men’s singles final match at the ATP Shenzhen Open tennis tournament in Shenzhen, southern China’s Guangdong
province on Oct 1. (AFP)