David Goffin improved to 32-2 since Wimbledon by overcoming Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 1-6, 7-6(5), 7-5 in the quarterfinals of the Moselle Open on Friday. During the current hot streak, the Belgian has captured three Challenger titles, won his first ATP title in Kitzbuhel, made it to the quarterfinals in Winston-Salem, and reach the third round of the U.S. Open. Goffin trailed Tsonga by a break in the third set, but he recovered it midway through the decider and broke the Frenchman again at 5-5 before serving out the match.
“With the confidence I have after the last few weeks, this was the right moment to play one of the big guys and to see how I do against [him],” the No. 8 seed explained. “This victory feels great. I’m extremely happy.”
Next up for Goffin is Jan-Lennard Struff, who benefited from a retirement courtesy of fellow German Philipp Kohlschreiber. Struff led 5-0 in the first set and had won 20 of 26 total points when Kohlschreiber called it quits due to a shoulder problem.
The host nation’s hopes are still alive for what would be a sixth consecutive Metz title won by a French player, but they also took several hits on Friday. In addition to the loss by No. 1 seed and two-time champion Tsonga, Paul-Henri Mathieu went down to Joao Sousa 3-6, 6-3, 7-6(4). Mathieu led 5-2 in the third set, failed to serve it out at 5-3, and missed four match points at 6-5.
Gael Monfils, though, found the win column by cruising past Jerzy Janowicz 6-3, 6-4. An in-form Monfils maintained momentum from a quarterfinal showing at the U.S. Open, where he rolled into the the last eight and had two match points against Roger Federer to reach the semis. The world No. 18 did not face a single break point against Janowicz while advancing in just one hour and three minutes.
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