David Goffin has already reached the quarterfinals of all Grand Slam tournaments except the US Open. And he will have to wait at least another year, before filling this gap. Like the three previous years, he was eliminated in the round of 16. He was beaten by the young Canadian Denis Shapovalov in four sets, 6 / 7-6 / 3-6 / 4-6 / 3.
In the first set, David Goffin had to save four break points, in four different games. It was tense, and of a very good standard. The Belgian player was therefore in difficulty, but he also led 0/30 on several occasions. For example in the twelfth game. He even offered himself a first break point at that point, which was also a set point. Shapovalov saved her with an ace. The two players met in the tie-break. A one-way tie-break, 7/0 for Goffin. It was his fourth game this year at the US Open, and it was the third time he has won the first set in the tie-breaker.
In the second set, Denis Shapovalov did not blame the blow at all. Or only in the first game, when it was 15/40 down. He got out of it, and he seized the opposing service, to lead 3/1. The Canadian was no longer joined, and he logically won the round, achieving many more winning points (11 against 3). It was the first time that a set played between these two did not end in the tie-break (David Goffin had won their only previous encounter 7 / 6-7 / 6).
In the third set, Denis Shapovalov did not let go of his grip. He managed an entry break, and he led the race. Faced with someone who had served so well since the start of the match, David Goffin’s situation was getting complicated. But the tenth player in the world has not abdicated. He led 15/30 in the sixth game, and 30/40 in the eighth game. To no avail. Shapovalov saved the break point with an ace, again. And he pocketed the third set a few minutes later. It makes sense, he was the most aggressive player on the court.
In the fourth set, David Goffin was back to the wall. To get out of it, he absolutely had to continue to believe in it, become the master of the court, hope for a small drop in speed from Denis Shapovalov (very solid in the exchanges), attack relentlessly, and avoid mistakes. None of this happened. On the contrary, he lost the thread of the meeting. And he gave up his service in the third game, on a double fault. He hadn’t managed a break yet, since the start of the match, so the situation was getting more and more complicated. And the knockout came from a second serve conceded. The game was lost …
Listen below to David Goffin after his loss. He also evokes the disqualification of Novak Djokovic …
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