Goffin Continues Dominance, Wins Second Metz Title
David Goffin has transformed himself into a potential top 20 ATP player this summer and fall, and his dominant play continued in Metz, where he dispatched a tenacious Joao Sousa 6-4 6-3 in the final. The title is the second at the ATP level for him, both in his career and this season.
Sousa drops to 1-2 in ATP finals, and 0-2 this season, but both players will see their rankings rise, with Goffin into the top 35.
The Belgian number one has won 34 of his last 36 matches post-Wimbledon and 5 of the last 7 tournaments he has entered. This week he had little trouble against Tobias Kamke in his first match, won a tough three setter against Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the quarterfinals, and dispatched JL Struff in the semis in 2 sets.
Sousa continues to establish himself as the Portuguese number one and as a solid indoors player. He beat Ivan Dodig in straights, Igor Sijsling and Paul-Henri Mathieu in third set tiebreaks, and then upset an injured Gael Monfils in straight sets in the semifinals. What Sousa lacks in the pure talent department, he makes up for with a tenacious fighting spirit and heart.
Marcin Matkowski and Mariusz Fyrstenberg defeated Marin Draganja and Henri Kontinen for the doubles crown.
—Steen Kirby
