Goffin beats Shapovalov in Atlanta battle of former Top 10 stars

David Goffin won a battle of former Top 10 stars on Monday at the Atlanta Open, where he clawed past Denis Shapovalov 6-4, 3-6, 6-1 to reach the second round.

“It was not easy, especially the first match of the U.S. summer. That kind of surface can be different if the sun comes out or not, with the humidity, with the heat,” Goffin said. “It's not easy to find a good rhythm in the first match [of the swing], but I'm really happy that I managed to win that one. It's great for my confidence, especially on the first tournament and first time I'm coming here in Atlanta.”

That first round win feeling ??@David__Goffin takes the victory over Shapovalov 6-4 3-6 6-1 @ATLOpenTennis | #AtlantaOpen pic.twitter.com/Ljqc3NCkVt

The former No. 7 in the PIF ATP Rankings qualified for Wimbledon before losing a heartbreaker in the first round of the main draw. Tomas Machac eliminated the Belgian in a final-set tie-break.

Goffin bounced back against Shapovalov, against whom he now owns a 2-1 Lexus ATP Head2Head advantage. The 33-year-old is the first Belgian to win a match in Atlanta since Ruben Bemelmans in 2012.

“I was quite focused in my match with the set and a break up in the second. And then he started to make me play a little bit, [was] a little bit more solid, and then he came back with some great shots,” Goffin said. “But I knew if I just stayed consistent, stayed calm to manage my service games at the beginning of the third set, that was the key. As soon as I broke him at the beginning of the third I felt that he was a little bit more nervous and started to make more mistakes. I tried to stay focused until the end and that's what I did. I'm happy.”

Earlier in the day, fifth seed Alejandro Davidovich Fokina also made a successful debut in Atlanta.

The Spaniard, who accepted a wild card into the ATP 250 event, ousted Frenchman Arthur Cazaux 6-2, 7-6(4). Davidovich Fokina won 83 per cent of his first-serve points and saved all five break points he faced according to Infosys ATP Stats.

Another Monday winner was Japanese lefty Yoshihito Nishioka, who defeated American qualifier Zachary Svajda 7-6(4), 6-3.

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