MONACO (AP) — Sa ikalimang match point, naisakatuparan ni David Goffin ang matagal nang inaasam sa tennis career – magapi ang dating world No.1 na si Novak Djokovic.
Nakumpleto ni Goffin ang dominasyon sa Serbian star, 6-2, 3-6, 7-5, nitong Biyernes (Sabado sa Manila) para makausad sa Monte Carlo Masters semifinals.
Bukod dito, napigilan ni Goffin ang target ni Djokovic na makaharap si defending champion Rafael Nadal ng Spain sa ika-50 career match.
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Kasalukuyang, naglalaro si Nadal sa nalalabing quarterfinal match kontra sa unseeded na si Diego Schwartzman.
“It’s the best win of my career,” pahayag ng 10th-seeded na si Goffin.
Bigo si Goffin sa nakalipas na limang pagkakataon laban kay Djokovic at napipintong muling mabigo nang makuha ni Djokovic ang 4-2 bentahe sa final set.
Ngunit, matikas na nakihamok si Goffin at nagawang makabawi tungo sa panalo.
“That’s fair from the chair umpire to tell me that I’m taking a little bit too much time. It was just in a very awkward moment to give me a warning,” pahayag ni Djokovic.
“It’s just that sometimes there should be maybe a little bit more tolerance and understanding for certain situations like that one, where it was very long point, at 6-5 in the third.”
Nauna rito, nasilat ni Albert Ramos-Vinolas si fifth-seeded Marin Cilic ng Croatia 6-2, 6-7 (5), 6-2. Makakaharap ng Spanish sa semis duel si Lucas Pouille ng France, nagwagi kay Pablo Cuevas ng Uruguay 6-0, 3-6, 7-5.
