Grigor Dimitrov vs David Goffin (7-5, 4-6, 6-3)
Oft-compared to Roger Federer for his style of play, Grigor Dimitrov showed everyone in London that he’s ready to step out of the shadow of the Swiss Maestro by winning the biggest title of his career.
The Bulgarian star recently said he’s not ‘Baby Fed’ anymore, and he proved it with a thrilling live betting display in the ATP Finals against David Goffin—the man who beat Federer himself in the semifinals to the surprise of tennis online gambling fans.
Dimitrov, who commanded the pre-match betting odds, held his nerve in the game and survived the relentless attacks of his Belgian foe to secure the unofficial “fifth” grand slam and become the first tournament debutant to win the title since 1998.
“It’s been an amazing week for me,” Dimitrov said. “It’s such an honour to be here and this week has been one of the best weeks I’ve ever had.”
Inspired and confident after taking down the highest-ranked men’s players in the same week, Goffin tested Dimitrov well and showed him he’s not the same man the Bulgarian thrashed four days earlier. The World No.8 had a hot start as well, leading by a break at 4-3 in the opening frame.
It didn’t last long for Goffin though, as Dimitrov found his rhythm and worked his way back to win the set. It helped Dimitrov that Goffin had an inconsistent run in the latter stages of the opener and made 20 unforced errors.
Goffin stayed aggressive in the second, dominating the set with his perfect forehand winners. His service game also clicked just in time to help him force a decider.
The final set proved to be a thrilling contest, with both players refusing to back down. Dimitrov jumped to a 4-2 lead, thanks in large part to his defence that saw him ward off four break points.
Goffin didn’t go down without a fight as he served his way back. However, he eventually fell short and succumbed to Dimitrov after netting a backhand volley that gave the Haskovo native the championship point after two hours and 30 minutes.
With the win, Dimitrov finished the tournament unbeaten after also going unscathed in the group stage. He will also finish as World No.3, while Goffin will be at No.7 when the ATP rankings are updated.
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