Things could have gone better. The was the best way to describe David Goffin’s first experience of playing in the ATP Finals in London.
After getting called up on Wednesday to replace an injured Gael Monfils, the Belgian world No.11 crashed out in straight sets to defending champion Novak Djokovic. A loss to the 12-time grand slam champion came as no surprise for Goffin, but the fashion in which he did has.
“I didn’t feel (the court) really well. I didn’t feel the rhythm. My groundstrokes, my best weapon, were not there. It’s not easy against Novak when it’s like that.” Said Goffin.
The 69-minute loss comes at the end of what has been a relatively successful season for the 25-year-old. Reaching the semifinals at four ATP tournaments, Goffin’s best run occurred during the Asian swing where he reached the final of the Japan Open, an 500 event. At the French Open he progressed to the last eight of a major tournament for the first time in his career.
Entering the off-season with confidence on his side, the Belgian No.1 will be the first to admit that he still has a way to go if he wishes to reach the top of the men’s tour. He has showed signs of promise with triumphs over three top 10 players within the last 12 months (Stan Wawrinka, Gael Monfils and Tomas Berdych). Furthermore, his ranking position of 11th is the highest place achieved by a Belgian player in the history of the Emirates rankings (since Aug 23. 1973). Nevertheless, achieving success on a regular basis is still very much a work in progress.
“For next year, I will try to improve in every part of my game, just to continue like I did this year. I’ll try to work on everything, work on my serve, on my groundstrokes, my best weapon, try to be strong physically, and we will see.” The world No.11 said.
London’s match against Djokovic was a prime example concerning Goffin’s current status in the world of tennis. Admittedly, he conceded that his lack of preparation hampered his performance against Djokovic, but is this really a worthy enough excuse for an injury-free player participating in a tournament with a prize pool of $7.5 million?
Next year could see Goffin break the top ten, a milestone that his predecessors Xavier Malisse and Olivier Rochus failed to do. There is no doubt that Goffin has the ability to play amongst the best in the world. Whether he can use his ability to make a mark at the very top of the game remains a mystery.
