Incredible David Goffin in Astana eliminates world number 1 Carlos Alcaraz (video)

The Belgian number 1 won against the US Open winner in two sets 7-5, 6-3 in 1 hour and 46 minutes.

The 31-year-old from Liège, 66th in the world, was drafted as a ‘lucky loser’ in qualifying (where he was beaten in the second round) following the retirement of Norwegian Holger Rune, finalist on Sunday in Sofia.

David Goffin pocketed the first set 7-5. He had already been able to serve for the victory of this first set when he was at a disadvantage after the quick defeat of the faceoff, going from 1-2 to 5-3, breaking the opponent twice. He will do it again in the twelfth game, when the Spaniard is back on 5-5.

Goffin offered a new break at the start of the second set to lead 3-0, then 5-1 in a new break. Alcaraz delayed the deadline, but ended up admitting defeat at his opponent’s first match point.

Alcaraz, on their return after the victory at Flushing Meadows, never managed to pick up the pace, Goffin’s confidence grew during the games.

This is the third time that the Liégeois have paid the scalp of a world number 1. The Belgian had achieved such a feat against Spaniard Rafael Nadal at the Masters in 2017 and in the Davis Cup in 2020.

In the second round (round of 16), David Goffin, quarter-final at Wimbledon, will be opposed to Adrian Mannarino (ATP 51), 34, against whom he is leading by 5 to 2 but the French, scorer 1-6, 6-2, 6-3 of the Swiss Stan Wawrinka (ATP 191) in Astana, won his last duel, in Montpellier (6-4, 6-2) at the beginning of the year.