ATP Finals 2017: The Week David Goffin Made Nadal and Federer Bow!
London, November 2017. Facing the king Nadal, a talented Belgian was about to pull off one of the greatest performances in modern tennis. That week, David Goffin defeated two legends, made Federer tremble, and touched a crazy dream with his fingertips: to become the master among the Masters. A look back at an exceptional week.
No one expected him. At 26, David Goffin approached the 2017 ATP Finals almost on tiptoe. In his group: Rafael Nadal, Dominic Thiem, and Grigor Dimitrov. But the man from Liège, quiet off the court, was about to set the O2 Arena on fire.
On November 13, 2017, Goffin faced the world number 1. No one dared to believe it. And yet, after a very tight match, Goffin prevailed 7-6, 6-7, 6-4, after more than two and a half hours of battle. An impressive performance highlighted notably by a splendid "banana shot" that left the Spaniard stunned.
After Nadal, Goffin lost to Dimitrov (6-0, 6-2) but bounced back against Thiem (6-4, 6-1) to reach the semi-finals. And there, a new peak: Roger Federer, the man he dreamed of as a kid. The Belgian played fearlessly, gave it his all, and won 2-6, 6-3, 6-4. A monumental feat.
But in the final, Goffin delivered a hellish battle against Dimitrov. Despite the defeat (7-5, 4-6, 6-3), he left London to a well-deserved ovation.
The 2017 ATP Finals will remain as one of the finest weeks of Goffin's career. A week where anything seemed possible.
