James Spencer (Twitter – @jspencer28)
In my previous article, I cited the shock loss for world number one Novak Djokovic, and the return of Swiss star Stan Wawrinka, as my first two major talking points from this week’s Monte Carlo Masters.
I now conclude my piece with some other interesting subplots.
3. David Goffin a man reborn
Belgium’s David Goffin was one of the standout players of the ATP Tour just a few years ago.
He reached the final of the 2017 ATP Tour Finals with an impressive semi-final win over Roger Federer, before falling to Grigor Dimitrov.
This led to a high of world number seven.
However, injuries have taken a toll on the Belgian, like Wawrinka.
The good news is the 31-year-old appears to be really fit again and undergoing a renaissance, as he triumphed in Marrakesh last week.
Victory at Grand Prix Hassan II marked just his sixth ATP Tour title.
Goffin strung together five consecutive wins against the likes of Bosnian Damir Džumhur, veteran Pablo Andújar, Spaniard Roberto Carballés Baena, Argentine Federico Coria, and Slovakian Alex Molcan in the final.
The Liège native backed this up with some good performances this week in Monte Carlo, as he beat Czech Jiri Lehecka, and most notably, Britain’s Dan Evans, in straight sets.
Goffin eventually fell in the quarters to the impressive Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, to which there is no shame in that.
But a promising run on clay, the Belgian’s strongest surface, is certainly likely as Goffin looks to gate-crash the top 30 in the next few weeks.
4. Grigor Dimitrov showing top-10 potential again
Dimitrov has been extremely inconsistent this season. After a poor first round exit in Acapulco, he has managed to pull off some stellar performances elsewhere.
The former world number three, managed to make the quarter-finals of Indian Wells, but was then bundled out at the first hurdle at the Miami Open.
This week in Monte Carlo, the Bulgarian has upset the odds to reach the semi-finals, with a stunning round of 16 win against current world number seven, Casper Rudd.
This was even backed up with an eye-catching quarter-final victory over Poland’s Hubert Hurkacz.
Now Dimitrov stands on the cusp of another Masters 1000 final, if he can get past the inexperienced Davidovich Fokina, who is in a whole new territory, for the first time in his career.
Meanwhile, the man once dubbed ‘Baby Fed’ as a teenager, muchto his annoyance, must surely fancy his chances of winning in the principality, and getting his career well and truly back on track.
5. 2019 stars yesterday’s men
If 2017 ATP heroes Dimitrov and Goffin continue to make strides back to the pinnacle of tennis, the 2019 Monte Carlo Masters stars faded away more or less immediately, this week.
That year’s runner-up, Dušan Lajović, showed his expertise on clay that season, but will be majorly disappointed at going down to Dimitrov in the round of 32, after taking the opening set.
Although, the Bulgarian is in impressive form, to be fair.
Meanwhile, the champion of three years ago, Fabio Fognini, continues to illustrate the inconsistency that has dogged his entire career.
The Italian, a shadow of the player that won a maiden Masters 1000 trophy, 36 months ago, capitulated to last year’s defending champion Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-3, 6-0, being slammed with a bagel set without winning a single game.
Both Fognini and Lajović will aim to bounce back next week at the Serbia Open in Belgrade.
