In 2017, at the year-end Nitto ATP finals, David Goffin did the usually impossible: he beat Roger Federer.
Goffin hopes that's not the only time he can beat his tennis idol, whom he faces again on Sunday in the Round of 16. Federer's 8-1 record against the Belgian indicates the tall order that he faces in this fourth-round match against the tennis legend, who also happens to be the 28-year-old's tennis idol.
But those odds are familiar to the 10-year tour veteran, who doesn't possess the hard pinpoint serves and big groundstrokes of either Federer or most of his other colleagues in the Top 20. What he lacks in power, Goffin seeks to make up with grit and speed.
In many ways, Goffin often doesn't have much of a choice in that regard, standing 5-foot-11, something he reflected on recently in an interview with the ATP.
"It's tough, but we still have some spots [in pro tennis] for small guys," Goffin said. "When you're young, you might not be ready to deal with the frustration of playing the big guys and dealing with their power. But we move better, we see the ball earlier, we can play faster. That's why you see smaller guys able to compete. We use the power of our opponent."
Get to know a little more about the small-but-powerful Goffin, as he prepares to meet his idol in Arthur Ashe Stadium:
- He has already achieved a milestone in becoming the first Belgian player to crack the Top 10.
- Goffin became the first Belgian to reach an ATP Masters 1000 final this year, in Cincinnati.
- Sunday's match will be the 28-year-old's third straight appearance in the US Open fourth round.
- The Belgian had a quarterfinal run in Wimbledon this year and has had one at every other Grand Slam, except the US Open (French Open, 2016; Australian Open, 2017).
- He has struggled with injuries multiple times in his career. Goffin underwent season-ending left wrist surgery in September 2013, missed six weeks in 2017 due to a right ankle injury and lost four weeks in 2018 due to an eye injury. He was also out five weeks later, in 2018, because of a right elbow injury.
- Goffin lost his last match against Federer in June, during the final of the Halle Open in Germany, 7-6, 6-1.
