Goffin stuns stricken Nadal at ATP Finals

LONDON - Belgium's first-time qualifier David Goffin sprung a huge surprise when he beat stricken world number one Rafael Nadal 7-6(5) 6-7(4) 6-4 at the ATP Finals on Monday.

Nadal's notorious fighting spirit and Goffin's frayed nerves stretched the match into a third hour but the underdog finally took his chance to claim a first career win over the 16-times grand slam champion.

Belgium's David Goffin in action during his group stage match against Spain's Rafael Nadal at the ATP World Tour Finals in London on Nov. 13, 2017. Action Images via Reuters/Tony O'Brien

Spaniard Nadal was moving freely enough for the first half of the match, even if the fizz was missing from his strokes, but by the end he appeared to be playing on one leg as the knee injury that had threatened his participation in the event was clearly causing him pain.

Nadal was still due to play Grigor Dimitrov and Dominic Thiem but he pulled out of the finals after the match with Goffin.

Spain's Rafael Nadal reacts after losing his group stage match against Belgium's David Goffin at the ATP World Tour Finals in London on Nov. 13, 2017. Nadal pulled out of the finals on Monday after being hampered by a knee injury during his match with Goffin. Action Images via Reuters/Tony O'Brien

Eighth-ranked Goffin, the first man from Belgium to qualify for the ATP Finals, seemed to have blown his chance when four match points came and went in the second set, but he broke twice to pull away into a 4-1 lead in the decider.

Again Nadal dug deep to claw back one of the breaks but this time Goffin held his nerve at 5-4 to claim victory with an ace on his fifth match point.

"I'm so glad I found the key to win this match and do it here at the Finals was very special," Goffin, who will be in Davis Cup final action for Belgium later this month, said.

"I just wanted to keep going in the third, even if I lost the second after the match points." —Reuters