David Goffin needed either a win or a loss by Lucas Pouille at the Rolex Paris Masters on Thursday in order to clinch a spot in the upcoming Nitto ATP World Tour Finals. He did not get a win, but he did get the necessary help.
Following a 6-3, 6-3 third-round setback against Julien Benneteau, Goffin saw Pouille succumb to Jack Sock 7-6(6), 6-3. The latter result propelled the world No. 10 to his first-ever World Tour Finals qualification. He is the seventh qualifier of this 2017 campaign, leaving one more available spot that could be determined as early as Friday afternoon.
“I would have preferred to have qualified by winning my match,” Goffin said. “Lucas is a friend, but I am still so happy to have qualified. It is every player’s dream to make the (World Tour) Finals and it is my first time [qualifying], so I can’t wait to get to London.”
The Belgian was an alternate at the year-end championship last fall and played one match after Gael Monfils withdrew.
Goffin joins a field that already features Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, Alexander Zverev, Dominic Thiem, Marin Cilic, and Grigor Dimitrov. The remaining contenders for the eighth and final place are Pablo Carreno Busta, Juan Martin Del Potro, John Isner, and Jack Sock. Carreno Busta lost his first match in Paris, so he can only sit back and watch what transpires with Del Potro, Isner, and Sock.
Del Potro and Isner will go head-to-head in a crucial quarterfinal showdown on Friday. The 17th-ranked Argentine will secure a spot at the O2 Arena with a victory, while the 6’10” American must defeat Del Potro and go on to win the Paris title. Sock must also lift the Paris trophy in order to qualify for the World Tour Finals.
Respective third-round victories over Dimitrov and Robin Haase kept hope alive for Isner and Del Potro. The former was one point away from elimination before he stormed back from 5-2 down in the third set to stun Dimitrov 7-6(10), 5-7, 7-6(3).
[polldaddy poll=9866119]
[polldaddy poll=9866485]
who’s gonna make it?
Herbert
Bum ass Jack sock will surprise
pun intended
DelPo!
That would be crazy if John Isner beats Del Potro to make Pablo Carreno Busta the favorite for the last WTF spot only for Sock to win the title and make the world tour finals after losing just about every match he’s played since Washington DC. Oh yeah and he was down 1-5 in the third against Edmund in round two. What I think will actually happen is Isner serves last Del Po but doesn’t win the title and PCB makes the WTF. Which will kinda suck. I want the winner of Isner and Del Po in London.
Serves past*
the winner of Isner-Delpo will make it for sure
Well Del Po will for sure but do you think that Isner would go all the way if he beat Del Po? I do think it’s possible given how he plays at Paris and the uncertainty of Nadal’s knee but I just don’t know if he can pull that off. I would sure love to see it.
there’s almost no way he would lose the semis. And Isner would be clutch enough to win a final against any of the remaining 4 in the bottom.
RBA is the only player in the bottom who would have beaten Isner
Hahahahhahaha. Honestly that might be true.
also Isner is almost certainly not going to beat Delpo
We’ll see bout that…
Anything can happen in this tournament! Isner lucky to still be in this.
Great if Benneteau would win the whole thing.