Chennai: Wild card entrant David Goffin from Belgium shocked compatriot and last year’s runner-up Xavier Malisse 4-6 6-2 6-2 in in the first round of the ATP Aircel Chennai Open here on Tuesday.
Malisse, who has won both the titles in 2007, went into the match with a 11-2 record in Chennai. But he sought medical attention while trailing 2-5 in the second set and then ended up losing it.
On the other hand, Goffin cashed in on his rival’s niggling pain as Malisse was finding difficulty while breathing and was taking deep breath before tossing the ball during his service games.
Malisse (ranked 49 and seeded 8th), who finished last season in the top-50 for the first time in five years, was showing signs of recovery but he was certainly not 100 percent fit.
Not to discount the deserving win, Goffin, who is ranked 174, did not labour much to wrap up the third set with breaks in the sixth and eighth games.
Goffin, who is here on his second visit having qualified for the main draw last year and put paid to the hopes of India’s Somdev Dev Varman in first round before failing in two tie-breaks to eventual champion Stanislas Wawrinka, merely kept the ball in play involving Malisee to long rallies and tested his senior rival on his backhand.
However, Goffin was at his best right from the beginning of third set and came up with superb breaks in the sixth and eighth games to progress to the second round.
In the pre-quarterfinals, Goffin plays Andreas Beck of Germany (ranked 98), who defeated qualifier Vasek Pospisil of Canada in the first round on Tuesday. (PTI)
