Points won by each set: [ 43-40, 23-31, 41-31 ]
Points won directly behind the serve:
28 % Dimitrov – 29 of 103
30 % Goffin – 32 of 106
Finally… When Dimitrov [6] was playing great tennis in the first half of 2014, many fans and experts could expect he would win something really big in the not too distant future. But it didn’t happen through the following three years, in the meantime he lost two major semifinals after very competitive matches (to Djokovic at Wimbledon ’14 & Nadal at Aussie Open ’17). Admittedly many top players (Djokovic, Murray, Nishikori, Wawrinka, Raonic) skipped almost the entire second part of the 2017 season, yet Dimitrov’s triumph shouldn’t be depreciated. Ok, he didn’t face in London neither Nadal nor Federer, but he destroyed 6-0, 6-2 a man who had beaten them both – Goffin [8]. It was quite clear that the second meeting within five days between Dimitrov & Goffin couldn’t be similarly one-sided. Already after 20 minutes Goffin had won more games than during their ’round robin’ contest – the Belgian led 3:1* (deuce), but the Bulgarian kept his composure to put himself in a good position of winning in straight sets again having a break point at 3:2 in the 2nd set. Goffin saved it with a winner after a long rally (the ball was called out, but touched the line as the challenge indicated). Dimitrov could think for a few seconds that he led 4:2, and soon afterwards he trailed 3:5… In a very long ‘6-3’ set that concluded the event, the longest was the opening 5-deuce game in which Dimitrov saved four break points (an ace followed by Goffin’s three errors). Perhaps the skinny Belgian paid the price for tough wins over Nadal & Federer because he seemed to be tired after that game. Somehow he found the second wind at *2:5 (0/40) – saved the triple match point with aggressive attitude and there was 15-all as Dimitrov was serving for the title. Even though Dimitrov was passive at his fifth match point, Goffin missed an easy volley. Dimitrov, very calm and collected throughout the final, showed emotions celebrating the 2-hour 32-minute victory on the floor.
Dimitrov’s route to his 8th title:
rr Dominic Thiem 6-3, 5-7, 7-5
rr David Goffin 6-0, 6-2
rr (alt.)Pablo Carreno 6-1, 6-1
S Jack Sock 4-6, 6-0, 6-3
W David Goffin 7-5, 4-6, 6-3