Belgian lucky loser David Goffin upset world number 1 Carlos Alcaraz 7-5 6-3 after 1 hour and 46 minutes to reach the second round at the Astana Open. Goffin recorded the third win against a world number 1 player in his career.
Goffin wasted two match points in his qualifying match against Italian Next Gen player Luca Nardi, but he earned his spot in the main draw as a lucky loser.
Goffin broke five times to draw level to 1-1 in his two head-to-head matches against Alcaraz. The Belgian player has scored the biggest of the season.
Goffin came back from a break down in the third game of the opening set by breaking Alcaraz in his next two service games. Alcaraz broke serve in the 10thgame to draw level to 5-5. Goffin converted his first set point on Alcaraz’s serve to close out the first set 7-5.
Goffin started the second set with an early break to open up a 3-0 lead. Alcaraz saved two break points to get on the scoreboard for 1-3. Goffin earned his second break at love in the sixth game to take a 5-1 lead.
Alcaraz pulled one break back in the seventh game for 2-5, but Goffin held his next service games to close out the second set 6-3.
“I always believe that I have the level to cause some trouble against those guys. Of course it has not been my best period. I have not been playing really well in the past few tournaments, but I always believe and practice and you never know. When you play against the world number 1 on a big stage in front of big crowd, the fire inside gives you so much power to play your best tennis because you don’t have any choice. You have to fight and give your best and that ws the case today. I always believed I had it and I am happy you can still do it there”, said Goffin.
Goffin will face a second round against Adrian Mannarino, who beat Stan Wawrinka 1-6 6-2 6-3.
Alcaraz won two Masters 1000 tournaments in Miami and Madrid before claiming his first Grand Slam Trophy at the US Open. The Spanish player was playing his first ATP Tour match since becoming world number 1. For the first time this season Alcaraz failed to win a set in a match.
