No. 2 seed David Goffin has won the Shenzhen Open title. Fifth-seeded Aleksandr Dolgopolov fell just short in the Shenzhen final as the Belgian Goffin edged the Ukrainian in a three-setter 6-4 6-7 (5-7) 6-3.
No breaks of serve were seen until the seventh game. Goffin converted his first break point of the match to open up a 4-3 lead. The No. 2 seed saved a break point in the following game before he closed out the set in the 10th game.
Dolgopolov started the second set with five break points saved to go up 1-0. Goffin then tied it all at 1-1 when Dolgopolov won four games in a row to open up a comfortable 5-1 lead.
The Ukrainian then blew his big lead as Goffin managed to force a tie-break.
However, Dolgopolov managed to keep his cool and focus. No mini-breaks were seen in the tie-break until the 11th point. Dolgopolov's mini-break gave him a 6-5 lead. The No. 5 seed then converted his first set point to force a decider.
Both players held on to their serves until after the opening seven games of the third set. Goffin dominantly broke Dolgopolov to give himself a chance to serve out for the title. The Belgian did exactly that -- closing out the match in the ninth game.
Goffin's clutch third-set performance
Goffin fired 15 aces and won 80 percent of his first serve points in the Shenzhen Open final. The No.
2 seed broke Dolgopolov four times and saved 2-of-4 of the Ukrainian's break point chances. Goffin was untouchable on his serve when it mattered most -- during the third set. The Belgian hit five aces and won 86 percent of his first serve points during that crucial set. He also converted his only break point chance and gave no break opportunities to Dolgopolov.
The head-to-head record between Dolgopolov and Goffin now stands at 1-1. Dolgopolov beat Goffin at the 2013 US Open. It took two hours and three minutes of action for Goffin to tie their head-to-head record.
Goffin's third ATP title
2017 Shenzhen Open champion David Goffin has now captured his third career ATP title. It was his first title of the 2017 tennis season.
Earlier this year, the Belgian finished as the runner-up in Sofia and Rotterdam. Back then, Goffin lost to fan-favorite Grigor Dimitrov in the Sofia final and to Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the Rotterdam final, respectively.
On the other side, Dolgopolov still has three ATP titles captured. The Ukrainian won it all on the clay of Buenos Aires this year. He has now lost in his last two ATP finals as David Ferrer beat him in the Bastad final this summer.
