ATP Final: Goffin defeats beaten Nadal in three sets

David Goffin defeated world number one Rafael Nadal in three sets at the start of the ATP finals in London. The Spaniard showed a great fight – but he had to fight mainly with his knee.

Industry leader Rafael Nadal has messed up his opening performance at the ATP finals in London and is already under pressure – if he’s going to continue with the jump into the semi-finals. The Spaniard, who was already suffering from knee problems, lost in his first group match David Goffin (No. 7) after a big fight 6:7 (5:7), 7:6 (7:4), 4:6.

After 2:37 hours the Belgian changed his fifth match point in front of 16,000 spectators in the o2 arena, Goffin’s cheering turned out to be rather reserved, but above all relieved.

Nadal had previously fought off four match points in the second set – three of them in a row at 5:6, but the Mallorcan could hardly move freely throughout the entire game, and his farewell from the London audience was almost final.

The French Open record champion Nadal still lacks the coup at the season-end tournament in his title potpourri. In his twelve attempts so far, he had been in the final twice (2010,2013). Nadal celebrated his last tournament victory in Beijing a few weeks ago.

At the start of the Pete-Sampras Group on Monday, Grigor Dimitrow (Bulgaria) defeated the Austrian Dominic Thiem 6:3,5:7,7:5. The two best of each of the two groups qualify for the final round, in which they play cross-over against each other. Next, Nadal would have to play against Thiem in the O2 Arena on Wednesday.

The unbeaten winner of London will receive a cash prize of $2.55 million. German victories were achieved at the indoor tournament held since 1970 by Boris Becker (1988,1992,1995) and Michael Stich (1993).