By Richard Pagliaro | Sunday, February 12, 2017
Grigor Dimitrov thwarted a late run by David Goffin thrilling home fans with a 7-5, 6-4 victory to capture his sixth career title in Sofia.
Photo credit: @SofiaOpen.bg
Bulgarian flags were flying and Grigor Dimitrov was soaring.
Reaching for the ball on the full stretch, Dimitrov slashed a crackling forehand strike part of a seven-game surge that had the home crowd chanting his name in unison as he built a 7-5, 5-0 lead.
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Closure was complicated as David Goffin fought off three championship points answering with a four-game run of his own forcing Dimitrov to face the ghosts of a past final collapse.
Clearly, this is a different Dimitrov than the 2016 model.
Displaying dynamic tennis and calm disposition in the face of spiking stress, Dimitrov converted his fifth championship point thwarting Goffin, 7-5, 6-4, in an emotional Sofia final that sent his home fans into a celebration frenzy.
"It was an extremely emotional week," Dimitrov said. "One of the most emotional in my life. It was not only the last match. I was nervous at the end. It is pretty different to play at home. I felt it once again.
"I am happy with the victory. I accept this. I will enjoying my time here till the end of the day. Tomorrow everything starts again."
Continuing his torrid start to the season, Dimitrov raised his record to 14-1—including six Top 20 victories—capturing his second title of the season and sixth of his career.
The final was a rematch of last month's Australian Open quarterfinal, which Dimitrov won 6-3, 6-2, 6-4. The third seed applied his variation and all-court aggression from the start of today's rematch.
After his stirring semifinal victory over defending champion Roberto Bautista Agut yesterday that spanned two hours, 44 minutes, Goffin may well have been physically drained for today’s final. The second-seeded Belgian was also put to the mental test by the loud Sofia crowd.
Goffin said he expected a Davis Cup-style atmosphere with Bulgarian fans vocally backing home favorite Dimitrov. The slender Belgian heard the crowd erupt when he double faulted the first break and a 2-0 lead to the Australian Open semifinalist.
Stepping in to challenge Dimitrov’s second serve, Goffin drew a double fault off the tape breaking back for 2-3.
Tension spiked in the ninth game as Dimitrov squandered a 40-love lead then teetered on the edge of a break before denying three break points. An enterprising Dimitrov delivered three aces digging out of difficulty and holding for 5-4 after a near seven-minute skirmish.
After sealing a love hold with an ace in the 10th game, Goffin tightened considerably trying to force a tie break.
Holding a 30-love lead, the Belgian spit up a double fault and netted his normally trusty two-hander.
Befuddled by the Bulgarian’s slice backhand, Goffin sent a backhand long to face set point then launched a wild backhand wide as Dimitrov seized a one-set lead.
Squeezing out the opening set was liberating for the 25-year-old Dimitrov, who was swinging fluidly and covering the court comprehensively in the second set.
Darting to his left, Dimitrov slid a slice backhand that kissed the top of the tape then fluttered at the feet of a frustrated Goffin. Handcuffed by that dig, Goffin dropped serve for the second time in a row trailing 2-0 in the second set.
Driving an ace out wide, Dimitrov extended his lead to 3-0.
Absorbing athleticism and a flair for the declarative running strike make Dimitrov fun to watch when he’s in form. Dimitrov delivered a thrill ride point provoking the crowd to a resounding eruption and creating a dazzling break in the fourth game.
Pushed into the doubles alley pursuing a slice backhand, Dimitrov soared all the way to the opposite sidelined tomahawking a sweeping running forehand strike to seal a 4-0 lead in eye-popping style.
That sensational strike brought Bulgarian fans to their feet chanting “Grigor! Grigor!” in unison. Navigating a three double-fault game, Dimitrov held for 5-0.
Serving for the title at 5-1, Dimitrov quickly jumped out to triple championship point.
The wiry Belgian wasn’t done. Goffin fought off all three championship points then bolted a backhand to break for 2-5.
The pressure of playing for the title and pleasing his home crowd disarmed Dimitrov, who double faulted to face break point when serving for the title again. Goffin knifed a sharp backhand return breaking again for 4-5.
An accurate Goffin won 70 percent of the points played on Dimitrov's second serve.
Suddenly, the crowd was hushed and Dimitrov’s camp concerned as the world No. 11 served to level.
The changeover gave Dimitrov time to ponder his lapse. If Dimitrov experienced flashbacks to his Istanbul implosion when he blew a 7-6, 5-2 lead before melting down in a racquet-smashing horror show loss to Diego Schwartzman in the final last May, he did not show it.
"The first set, the end of the second, everything was on my side," Dimitrov said. "I was leading 5-0. Sometimes it happens. I tried to be ready, calmer, to focus in every point.
"I knew I could break his serve, I could win my serve game. I am happy that I won and I was really mentally stable in the end of the match.
“Focus” has been a term Dimitrov has used repeatedly to explain his rise from No. 40 last July 18th to his current ranking of No. 13 and rising."
Keeping his eyes riveted on the ball—and benefiting from the Belgian’s fragility—Dimitrov stopped his four-game slide. Firing a forehand winner for love-30, he earned three more championship points when Goffin coughed up his fourth double fault.
This time, Dimitrov made it matter converting his fifth championship point to conclude a dramatic 98-minute match.
When it was over, Dimitrov dropped to his knees and kissed the court in equal parts exhilaration and pure relief. Then he rose and walked into the crowd that embraced him so vocally to share a heart-felt hug with his mother, father and support time.
There’s no place like home. Dimitrov, who captured his second title in three tournament starts this season, is playing like a man intent on taking up permanent residence in the Top 10.