Tennis: Bring On The Big Guns, Says Goffin

Tennis: Bring on the big guns, says Goffin

MELBOURNE, , (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 23rd Jan, 2017 ) - David Goffin said he felt ready to take on the top players after he wore down Dominic Thiem to become the first Belgian man to reach the Australian Open quarter-finals on Monday.

The 11th-seeded Goffin equalled his best Grand Slam showing by reaching the last eight with a 5-7, 7-6 (7/4), 6-2, 6-2 win over the eighth-seeded Austrian in two hours 44 minutes. Goffin's win in the second-set tiebreaker proved crucial as he powered on to victory on Rod Laver Arena, where ambient temperatures were above 35 Celsius (95 Fahrenheit).

"I kept fighting, that was definitely key winning the second-set tiebreaker where I made some good returns," Goffin said.

"I continued to push on in the rallies and I'm really happy to win. Mentally, I'm tired." Goffin knocked Thiem out in the third round of last year's Australian Open, before losing to the Austrian in the quarters at the French Open.

Goffin won on his second match point when Thiem netted a service return. It was the Belgian's first victory over a top-10 player at a major. "I'm feeling more confident against the top players. I had a lot of matches before the tournament," Goffin said.