NEW YORK (AP) — Shut out in the first set, seventh-seeded Grigor Dimitrov shut down David Goffin the rest of the night at the U.S. Open.
Dimitrov won 0-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-1 in the third round Sunday in a matchup of two 23-year-olds.
“His game was just too good in the first set,” Dimitrov said. “But I didn’t let go of my belief. … I thought if I kept a good composure and if I just stayed there mentally, I knew physically I was able to go the whole five sets. But it was just mind over matter a little bit at the beginning.”
The Wimbledon semifinalist got in just 32 percent of his first serves in the opening set, but steadily improved that number as the match went on.
“Maybe a year and a half or two ago I would have struggled a lot with a match like that. … Now, I feel, even if I lose a set, it’s not end of the world,” he said. “I know I can turn things around pretty quick. I have the weapons.”
Goffin, a 56th-ranked Belgian, had gone 27-1 since losing to Andy Murray in the first round at Wimbledon in June. That included a 25-match winning streak — and a stretch of 36 consecutive sets won — mainly accomplished at tournaments in tennis’ minor leagues. He upset 32nd-seeded Joao Sousa in straight sets in the U.S. Open’s second round.
Dimitrov will face 20th-seeded Gael Monfils in the fourth round.
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