Novak Djokovic has new opponent at the World Tour Finals on Thursday afternoon.
It will be David Goffin, the first alternate in London who now has a place on the match court following Gael Monfils’ withdrawal on Wednesday night. Monfils had skipped the Paris Masters two weeks ago due to a rib injury and he looked way less than 100 percent in a three-set loss to Dominic Thiem on Tuesday afternoon.
“Definitely I can’t play tomorrow because I still feel worse and worse,” the world No. 6 lamented. “I feel that even yesterday (it) was tough [against Thiem]. I [wasn’t] feeling great and couldn’t practice, so I just decided that I couldn’t play tomorrow.”
Monfils ends his 2016 campaign with a 44-17 record that is highlighted by the biggest title of his career in Washington, D.C. This was the Frenchman’s debut appearance in the year-end championship.
“I’m very happy to be here in the top eight,” he said. “I think it’s the greatest season I ever done. It gives me more hope for next year. I think for the new season I will have new changes and hopefully I can be even stronger next year.”
Monfils’ exit means Goffin’s season has not ended. Thanks mostly to back-to-back semifinal performances in Indian Wells and Miami to go along with a quarterfinal finish at Roland Garros, the Belgian found himself in top-eight contention all the way until Paris. His qualifying hopes finally evaporated with a third-round setback against fellow contender Marin Cilic, who eventually qualified as the seventh seed.
Goffin is 0-4 lifetime against Djokovic, and 0-3 on hard courts. But the world No. 11 has not been without opportunities. He once led Djokovic 3-0 with a double-break in the deciding set of their 2015 Cincinnati Masters showdown only to lose the last six games of the match and see Djokovic survive 6-4, 2-6, 6-3. They most recently faced each other earlier this season in Miami, where the Serb prevailed 7-6(5), 6-4.
Djokovic has already clinched the top semifinal spot out of Group B this week following wins over Dominic Thiem and Milos Raonic. Thiem will battle Raonic on Thursday for the other place in the last four.
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who ya got?
I like Goffin’s chances vs this Djoko, at least he can push Djoko to at least go the distance; Monfils has no chance, fit or injured.
Poor from Goffin. Very disappointing display from him, as if not willing to play this match. Come on, put on a good show!
I said yesterday on another thread that Nole would sneeze Goffin off the court in two and that is what is transpiring 6-1, 5-1 at the moment.
Why no Ricky prediction for this match???
Congrats to Me.
#GlutenFreeBreadsticksAreEverywhere
#NoleIsBack
I assume Ricky thought the outcome was obvious enough not to merit a prediction.