Grigor Dimitrov will finish the 2017 ranked No. 3 in the world behind Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer. With Nadal and Federer already out of the Nitto ATP Finals, the title was Dimitrov’s to win or lose.
He won it.
Capping off the best season of his career with his biggest title, the Bulgarian outlasted David Goffin 7-5, 4-6, 6-3 in the London championship match on Sunday evening. Both players were contesting the most important final of their professional lives, and it was Dimitrov who survived a spirited effort by Goffin after two and half hours.
It was–thankfully for fans inside the O2 Arena–a far cry from had transpired between Dimitrov and Goffin just four days earlier. In a Wednesday afternoon round-robin battle, Dimitrov dominated the Belgian 6-0, 6-2 in less than half the time (one hour and 13 minutes) it took for him to finish off Goffin in the final. A much different Goffin showed up on Sunday, clearly taking confidence from having scored his first-ever win over Federer via a 2-6, 6-3, 6-4 decision in the semifinals. That made Goffin just the sixth player in history to beat both Nadal and Federer in the same tournament.
The previous five combined to accomplish the Nadal-Federer double 11 times, and on all 11 occasions they went home with the winner’s trophy. Goffin almost made it 12 for 12.
With momentum in hand after leveling the match at a set apiece, the world No. 8 made a push to take control early in the third. Goffin generated four break points, but he sent a backhand past the baseline on one and watched Dimitrov hit three unreturned serves on the others. The seventh seed saved a break point, himself, in the next game before the final turning point came at 2-3. Dimitrov missed a break chance at 30-40, fought off two game points, and then broke for 4-2 on his second opportunity when Goffin erred on a backhand.
Still, there was more drama to be had. Goffin somehow managed to survive a triple match point situation at 2-5, 0-40. He ended up winning five straight points to hold before saving a fourth championship point with a forehand winner at 5-4, 40-15. Dimitrov finally crossed the finish line on his fifth chance, when he scrambled to track down an approach shot and saw Goffin net the ensuing backhand drop-volley.
“Obviously (I was) a little nervous towards the end of the match, which is I think quite normal,” the 26-year-old admitted.
And why not? Of his seven previous titles, only one was of the Masters 1000 variety to go along with a pair of 500s.
“It’s a special event,” Dimitrov said of the year-end championship. “I mean, you don’t get the chance to play that…well, sometimes you get the chance to play that every year…but sometimes you don’t. For me, the way that the year has been, I felt I deserved to be here.”
Goffin felt the same way for himself–especially after ousting Nadal and Federer earlier in the week–but pointed out that his opponent deserved it, too.
“I think I deserve the win today, of course,” Goffin said. “But Grigor, also, he deserves the win. He was unbeatable this week. He played really great tennis; was really solid from the first match until the end. So he deserves completely to be here and to win the tournament. Even if I won against Rafa and Roger, I lost the final. But, anyway, it was a great week. I have no regrets after that match.”
I agree with those who see a Weak Aera just around the corner. The Young Guns just don’t compare to Borg/McEnroe/Connors, Becker/Edberg/Lendl, Sampras/Agassi and finally our recent absolutely stellar Big Three Feder/Nadal/Djokovic. All of these guys had or still have the x-factor. I see none of this in the future generation.
As to Dimitrov’s great win: he did well – but he was also very lucky, since he didn’t have to face Rafa or Roger, against whom he almost always loses. He didn’t even have to play one fast-hardcourt specialist. His opponents were Carreno-Busta, Thiem, Goffin and Sock! I think that is the weakest assortment of opponents at the WTF in ages!
But good for Dimi that he grabbed this great opportunity. And Roger’s and Rafa’s paths to their Wimby/US Open titles wasn’t exactly littered with the most difficult opponents eigher 😉
But, were Becker/Edberg/Lendl better than Borg/JMac/Connors? Oh in between there’s a Wilander.
The generation that comes after a stellar generation need not and may not live up to the standard set by their immediate predecessors. Since the Big three era is so stellar, we shouldn’t expect the gen right after theirs to be equally stellar.
I feel if Dimi and Co (Raonic, Goffin, Kei, Thiem) can each win one to three slams, that’ll be pretty fine for their generation. They have to fight against the stellar Big three/four plus Stan/Delpo gen, and fight the next up and coming gen, very hard life. (Strictly speaking Fed belongs to the gen before Rafa/Djoko’s). Also, Rafa’s gen plus Fed have such long stellar careers that they extended into the prime of Dimi’s gen.
It’s just like Moya, Kuerten, Albert Costa, Thomas Johansson, Gaston Gaudio(combined 7 slams) who came after Sampras/Agassi’s gen, they’re the sandwiched gen before Fed’s Gen (Hewitt/ Safin/ Roddick/Ferrero who because of Fed had won a combined 25 slams).
Sasha Zverev’s gen may be more fortunate though I can’t say that they’re necessarily better players than say Dimi or Goffin or Kei.
Roger and Rafa not making it to the final is irrelevant to how much Dimitrov deserves his title. They were both in the tournament, but neither could get the job done to even make to the final. Goffin beat them both -each for the first time- but lost to the better player in the final.
Nothing lucky about Dimitrov’s win. He earned it and deserves full credit, without any asterisks.
Just like no asterisks for all of Feds FO losses.
#PretzelJoe
Fine, as long as you say the same about his GS titles 2003-07.
No, the 2003-07 claim stands.
You missed my point lol.
I didn’t want it both ways. You did.
Hope this helps.
#HowManyTimes
Your point is often unclear when you get worked up about Nadal.
Yours isn’t. It’s quite obvious.
I like to give people more credit to figure things out for themselves.
And it’s not Nadal I get “worked up about” LOL.
#YetAnotherStrawman
#HowManyTimes
As I said a few days ago, Sascha could just be the one to capitalize on the Return of The Weak Era….
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DPXSMafVwAAIdtu.jpg
#DontYou?
If he can last through 5 sets…
Why couldn’t he?
He’s 12-10 in slams and fed was just 5-5 at his age.
Zverev has made twice as many draws as fed had at that age.
Sascha would have an unprecedented level of relative “weakness” once the Big Four + Stan retire. Even in the pre-Rafa “weak era” from 2002 through 2004 there was at least a couple guys who had multiple majors plus a year-end #1 to their name who were still active (Agassi and Guga). It’s scary to think what the field will look like when Big 4+CB are gone…
It would help the future of men’s tennis greatly if a couple of the younger guys were able to each bag at least a couple majors while Rafa, Fed, Novak are still in their early 30’s. Unfortunately, it’s hard for me to imagine that happening as long as at least 2 of the Big 4+Stan are still dominating every season for the next few years.
Goffin and Dimi may be able to do so in the next two years at least. I doubt Djoko, Murray and Stan would be unbeatable when they return from injuries. Fedal’s level may have gone down a bit next season as they’re another year older and past their prime. It’s the best opportunity for Goffin and Dimi to get their first slam; the way they’re playing, I think they can.
Goffin looked scarily good against Pouille; he’s not bad either vs Fed and Dimi at the WTF. I think his game, like Dimi’s, is maturing nicely, and he finally has the belief now that he can beat anyone (after all he had beaten the big three this year).
Goffin and Dimi have the game all along, what they lack is the belief. They’re playing with belief now, so I think they’re the two most dangerous guys the big four plus Stan will have to face ( Delpo is another).
Goffin, Dimi and Delpo are fit enough to go the distance at the slams, unlike Sasha Zverev; and I think one of them may become no.1, after the big four are gone, before the next gen guys take over at the top of the rankings.
I don’t see Goffin getting more than one slam (and that’s only if many stars align).
He’s had just two QF appearances in 21 slams so it’s not the big guys stopping him and he’s already 27.
He’s not physical enough.
Best of three is his best chance to do damage with any consistency in my opinion.
Dimitrov has better chances in slams going forward but he’s like a Roddick or Hewitt in that sense. He can win a few perhaps until Zverev or someone like him (the next mini Fed) comes along to beat all of the never-weres and also-rans.
Neither guys have the mental strength to be a consistent threat to win multiple slams unless the pending weak era repeat lacks the Fed shark to gorge on the krill.
Either prospect is depressing for the tennis fan who has been spoiled for the last 40 years (except from 2001-2007).