Kevin Mitchell's match report
That was a very enjoyable final, one that could have gone either way. In the end, though, Grigor Dimitrov has shown that he might yet make good on that obvious promise, claiming the biggest prize of his career at the age of 26. David Goffin fought well and had a great week, defeating Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, but the hope now is that Dimitrov will be able to build on this at the Australian Open. He has the talent. Hopefully this gives him the belief. Hats off, Grigor! Baby Fed grew up a bit tonight. Thanks for reading and emailing. Bye!
Updated
Grigor Dimitrov beats David Goffin 7-5, 4-6, 6-3 to win the ATP World Tour Finals!
Dimitrov has to show his mettle now. Goffin is back in the hunt. Dimitrov is relieved when Goffin puts a simple backhand long for 15-0, but then he fluffs a forehand for 15-all. The human mind, eh? Dimitrov steadies himself, though, and serves well to earn two more championship points. They rally. Goffin attacks the net. Dimitrov sends a forehand long. Four championship points have come and gone. Here’s a fifth chance. Goffin makes most of the running. He pings a backhand into the left corner. Dimitrov is on the ropes, but he slices well ... and Goffin nets a sliced volley! It’s all over! Dimitrov, who can’t quite believe it, is the champion!
Third set: Dimitrov 7-5, 4-6, 5-3 Goffin* (*denotes serve): Goffin is serving to stay in the final. He’s delayed by an idiot in the crowd before his opening delivery. He’s rattled by Dimitrov pouncing at the net for 0-15. Goffin goes for a cracking drop volley. But Dimitrov scoots forward and lobs him! Goffin summons a tweener after scrambling back, but Dimitrov smashes for 0-30 and quickly earns three championship points. Goffin saves the first, barrelling a backhand from left to right. Solid serving makes it 30-40. One to go. It goes. A tight forehand into the net from Dimitrov! Deuce. From there, Goffin holds! What defiance! Three match points saved. He’s revving up the crowd, most of whom are on their feet. Dimitrov has to serve for it.
Third set: Dimitrov* 7-5, 4-6, 5-2 Goffin (*denotes serve): Dimitrov is so close to a famous win now. Goffin nets a backhand return off a bouncing second serve to make it 40-15. He looks like he’s running out of steam. Dimitrov taps a nothing lob back over the net to hold. He’s a game away from winning the season finale!
Updated
Third set: Dimitrov 7-5, 4-6, 4-2 Goffin* (*denotes serve): Goffin is up 30-0. So he double-faults. He misses a forehand by a big margin. Dimitrov senses weakness. Goffin tamely nets a forehand. Break point. Goffin saves it, but Dimitrov is pushing. Another chance arrives - and Dimitrov finally takes this one, watching ecstatically as Goffin drills a backhand just wide!
Third set: Dimitrov* 7-5, 4-6, 3-2 Goffin (*denotes serve): Dimitrov skips to a straightforward love hold and walks calmly back to his chair. This is so tight.
Third set: Dimitrov 7-5, 4-6, 2-2 Goffin* (*denotes serve): Goffin’s taken to deuce, but he holds. Who’ll tire first?
Third set: Dimitrov* 7-5, 4-6, 2-1 Goffin (*denotes serve): A calm hold at last. Dimitrov needed that. Time to breathe.
Third set: Dimitrov 7-5, 4-6, 1-1 Goffin* (*denotes serve): The game goes to 30-all and Dimitrov, stretching and scrambling at the back of the court, sends a forehand back with a crosscourt slice, forcing Goffin to jab into the net for 30-40. Yet Goffin scraps to deuce and clings on to his serve.
Third set: Dimitrov* 7-5, 4-6, 1-0 Goffin (*denotes serve): This is tough to call now. Dimitrov has really struggled to get over his failure to take that break point. And he’s wobbling. He’s facing two here. He saves both, but then he knocks a forehand long. Yet Goffin plonks a forehand long. Chances come, chances go. Who’ll have the regrets come the end? Goffin can’t convert a fourth chance. This is a marathon game. Dimitrov, showing atypical grit, holds.
David Goffin wins the second set 6-4 to level the final!
Goffin begins positively, charging forward to punch a high return away for 15-0. Then Dimitrov knocks a return wide for 30-0 and it’s not long before Goffin has three set points. He only needs one; Dimitrov wafts a groundstroke long and this final is going to a decider! What a turnaround since Dimitrov held a break point in the sixth game of the set.
Updated
Second set: Dimitrov* 7-5, 4-5 Goffin (*denotes serve): Dimitrov gets lucky on the first point, a slice clipping the top of the net and landing on Goffin’s side. Goffin responds with a couple of beautiful shots for 15-30. Dimitrov goes big with a forehand and he’s rewarded for his intent, making it 30-all, and then Goffin nets a forehand return for 40-30. Dimitrov holds. Goffin will serve to force a deciding set.
Second set: Dimitrov 7-5, 3-5 Goffin* (*denotes serve): It’s all Goffin. He holds to 30. Dimitrov will serve to prolong the set.
Second set: Dimitrov* 7-5, 3-4 Goffin (*denotes serve): A mood shift. Dimitrov is flat. He dips to 15-30. Goffin spies an opening. A gorgeous backhand makes it 15-40 - and Goffin lashes a forehand away to seize the initiative in this set! That was seriously good from the Belgian!
Second set: Dimitrov 7-5, 3-3 Goffin* (*denotes serve): Is the end nigh? Dimitrov has a break point. A brilliant rally ensues. Dimitrov keeps chopping devilish slices back at Goffin, who eventually decides to pull the trigger on the backhand side, driving the ball from left to right. “Out!” is the call. Goffin has to challenge. The umpire smiles knowingly. The ball kissed the line! Goffin clambers to deuce. Somehow he holds. It could be a defining moment. A turning point.
Second set: Dimitrov* 7-5, 3-2 Goffin (*denotes serve): Dimitrov plants an ace out of reach for 40-15 then smashes to complete a breezy hold. “I had a tenner back in January on these two to make the Tour Finals final at 100,000-1, so I’m now a millionaire,” Simon McMahon says. “Or I would be, if I hadn’t doubled it up with David Moyes to win SPOTY.”
Second set: Dimitrov 7-5, 2-2 Goffin* (*denotes serve): Another hold to love for Goffin. He doesn’t plan on going anywhere yet,
Second set: Dimitrov* 7-5, 2-1 Goffin (*denotes serve): There’s every chance that a man with Dimitrov’s fragile nerve will wobble at some point and he’s feeling a bit edgy after knocking a backhand wide for deuce. Goffin can’t capitalise, though. A Dimitrov ace is enough to end this argument. Impressive steel.
Second set: Dimitrov 7-5, 1-1 Goffin* (*denotes serve): Goffin holds to love.
Second set: Dimitrov* 7-5, 1-0 Goffin (*denotes serve): Dimitrov needs to keep his foot on the accelerator now. He does so here, holding without any fuss at all. The Davis Cup final is coming up for Goffin. Will he have an eye on that now?
Grigor Dimitrov wins the first set 7-5!
Goffin is creaking a bit here, making errors to take the game to 0-30. Dimitrov is pressing hard now. He’s turning the screw. More pace draws desperation from Goffin, who whacks a forehand wide to find himself down 15-40. Two set points. Yet Goffin saves the first, pinging a serve down the middle, whacking a forehand away to make it 30-40, and then earns another reprieve with a super wrong-footing forehand down the line for deuce! Yet Dimitrov earns a third opportunity. Goffin saves it, but he gifts Dimitrov a fourth chance with a terrible volley. He winces, covering his face with his hand. Dimitrov fires a backhand long, but he grabs a fifth chance. Goffin cracks this time! He nets a forehand and Dimitrov is a set away from becoming the champion!
First set: Dimitrov* 6-5 Goffin (*denotes server): Dimitrov is under pressure, but he digs deep and defends well at 15-30, hanging in the point before whipping a forehand beyond Goffin. An ace makes it 40-30. The margins are slender. Dimitrov holds. He’s feeling this now. Goffin will serve to force a tie-break.
First set: Dimitrov 5-5 Goffin* (*denotes server): Goffin has been impressive, but he’s serving to keep the set alive here and he starts by sloppily knocking a forehand long. Good serving takes Goffin to 30-15, though, and holds comfortably.
First set: Dimitrov* 5-4 Goffin (*denotes server): Dimitrov produces a delicious drop shot for 30-15. Goffin bellows in annoyance at his failure to reach it. Then he gets rid of some tension with a cracking return for 30-all. The level’s rising. Dimitrov makes it 40-30 with a superb crosscourt forehand pass and he clenches his fist after Goffin belts a forehand return long. It’s three straight games for him and Goffin will serve to stay in the set.
First set: Dimitrov 4-4 Goffin* (*denotes server): Goffin dips, stiffing a backhand wide to fall to 0-30, but he fights to 15-30 before serve-volleying to 30-all. Gutsy. Dimitrov, however, earns a break point and Goffin blinks, wafting a forehand long! They’re back on serve and that’s the cue for Dimitrov’s fans to turn up the volume.
Updated
First set: Dimitrov* 3-4 Goffin (*denotes server): This is a crucial game for Dimitrov, who really needs to hold to have a serious chance of taking this set. Goffin is toying with him a bit, though. A subtle little backspin volley forces Dimitrov forward and the Bulgarian lobs long for 0-15. Dimitrov hits back with his first ace, though, and rattles through the next three points to hold to 15.
First set: Dimitrov 2-4 Goffin* (*denotes server): Goffin looks comfortable at 30-0, but he’s not landing many of his first serves and a double-fault lets Dimitrov into the game at 30-all. He recovers well, though, holding to 30.
First set: Dimitrov* 2-3 Goffin (*denotes server): Goffin is playing really well, taking the game to 30-all, at which point Dimitrov ups the intensity with a rapier forehand to the right for 40-30. Yet the Bulgarian isn’t getting out of this game that easily. It goes to deuce. Dimitrov wriggles clear, though, holding for the first time after 23 minutes of play. That should settle a few of his nerves.
First set: Dimitrov 1-3 Goffin* (*denotes server): Goffin wins the opening rally when Dimitrov pulls a backhand wide, but Dimitrov levels and makes it 15-30 with a powerful forehand. Goffin’s response is good. He makes it 30-all; then he moves to 40-30 with an ace. Dimitrov challenges to no avail. Goffin aces him again to consolidate the break.
First set: Dimitrov* 1-2 Goffin (*denotes server): Both players are struggling on serve, Dimitrov handing over three break points. What a strange start to the final. Dimitrov sparks back into life, hauling himself to 30-40. Goffin doesn’t care. Dimitrov moves to the net, Goffin picks him off with a lovely backhand pass to break again!
First set: Dimitrov 1-1 Goffin* (*denotes server): The game goes to 30-all and Dimitrov earns a chance to break back straight away when Goffin nets a forehand. He can’t take it. He has another soon enough, though, and Dimitrov levels when Goffin knocks a forehand long at the end of a lengthy rally. Dimitrov jumps, trying to perk himself up.
First set: Dimitrov* 0-1 Goffin (*denotes server): The season finale is underway! Grigor Dimitrov, in a white top and dark blue shorts, opens the serving. But it’s Goffin, picking up where he left off yesterday, who lands the first blow with a vicious, flat forehand winner for 0-15. The game goes to 30-all and Goffin earns a break point when he attacks a second serve with another forehand winner. Dimitrov saves it, but Goffin grabs another, continuing to hit smoothly and accurately, and he takes this one, spraying a third forehand return away to break straight away! What a start from the Belgian!
Updated
The players are out, the photos have been taken and it’s time for the knock-up. Tok! Tok! Tok! The final will be underway soon.
It is, of course, slightly strange that neither man has been in a grand slam final. Dimitrov has been in a couple of semi-finals, while this is probably Goffin’s biggest match since he lost to Andy Murray in the 2015 Davis Cup final. Here they come, though, Goffin the first to emerge, Dimitrov following him soon after. Both players say that they aren’t feeling the nerves. There’s only one way to find out@
The head-to-head is heavily in Grigor Dimitrov’s favour. The world No6 has won seven of his eight meetings with David Goffin and beat the elegant Belgian 6-0, 6-2 in this week’s round robin. Dimitrov starts as the favourite after beating Goffin, Dominic Thiem and Pablo Carreno Busta to win his group and Jack Sock in last night’s semi-final. Goffin, though, has done the unthinkable, beating the players ranked 1 and 2 in the world to get this far. After stunning Federer, he’ll rightly feel anything’s possible.
Updated
Preamble
Hello. No Andy. No Novak. No Stan. No Milos, No Kei. Not even a Rafa. And finally, perhaps most incredibly of all, no Roger. Instead it’s David and Grigor. Who saw this coming? Don’t lie. Nobody saw this coming. Nobody predicted that the final match of the year, the final of the ATP World Tour Finals, would take place between David Goffin and Grigor Dimitrov, a year after Andy Murray beat Novak Djokovic to finish 2016 as the world No1.
So much has happened since then, a lot of it strange and unsettling. No one, for instance, predicted Murray’s year of woe or Djokovic calling time on his season after a meek defeat to Tomas Berdych, one of his favourite patsies. No one imagined that Federer, six months out with a knee injury, would rediscover his old genius or that Nadal would reclaim his clay crown and dominate the US Open. No one saw the injuries, the retirements, the withdrawals, the sense of flux at the top of the game. No one imagined that Jack Sock would make it to London. No one imagined that Goffin would beat Federer yesterday - least of all Goffin himself.
But here we are. Here’s Goffin, in the final for the first time after defeating Nadal and Federer to get here, just like when Nikolay Davydenko won this tournament in 2009. On the other side of the net is Dimitrov, the man with the Baby Fed monicker, a player who has flattered to deceive for much of his career. It’s an unusual state of affairs. The sponsors probably aren’t too happy. Those who bought tickets were probably expecting to see Federer and Nadal. Instead they get something a little different, two players duelling for the biggest honour of their careers.
Play begins at 6pm GMT.
Updated
