Goffin rallies past early scare in Shanghai

Under the humid glare of Shanghai’s hard courts, David Goffin absorbed the sting of a first-set tiebreaker loss, only to unleash a torrent of precision that left Alexandre Müller reeling. The 6-7 (6), 6-1, 6-1 victory unfolded like a storm gathering force, Goffin’s strokes finding their edge as the Frenchman’s aggression faltered. At 34, the Belgian carries the scars of a career that peaked at No. 7, marked by four Grand Slam quarterfinals, six ATP titles, and a Masters 1000 final in Cincinnati—credentials that fueled his mid-match revival.

Tiebreaker tests resolve and rhythm

The opener crackled with intensity, Müller’s inside-out forehands probing Goffin’s backhand side in crosscourt exchanges that kept points alive. Goffin countered with defensive underspin, buying time on the slick surface, but a stray error in the tiebreaker handed Müller the set. As the crowd’s murmurs swelled, the veteran shifted gears, leaning into a sharper 1–2 pattern from the baseline to disrupt his opponent’s flat returns and force hurried replies.

By the second set, Goffin‘s adjustments took hold; he mixed slice on second serves to pull Müller wide, opening lanes for deep inside-in forehands that pinned the Frenchman deep. The air thickened with the scent of sweat and possibility, each winner a quiet defiance against a season of inconsistencies. This tactical recalibration not only erased the early deficit but infused the match with the psychological momentum Goffin needed to dominate.

Hard-court surge silences doubts

With the low-bouncing hard court amplifying his flat groundstrokes, Goffin accelerated into the third set, his down-the-line backhands carving through Müller’s defenses like precise incisions. The Frenchman’s serve, once a weapon in longer rallies, crumbled under returns aimed at the body, yielding unforced errors in transition. Goffin’s experience shone through, conserving energy while dictating tempo, turning the court into a canvas for his enduring craft amid the arena’s pulsing energy.

This resurgence carries emotional weight for a player navigating the twilight of his prime, where every win chips away at the pressures of relevance. The crowd’s applause built as he sealed the match, a fist pump echoing the relief of breakthroughs long overdue. In Shanghai’s neon glow, such moments remind that resilience often blooms from adversity’s soil.

Elite field reshapes tournament path

While Goffin savors his advance, the draw’s top seeds lounge with first-round byes, their entries delayed until Friday. Jannik Sinner arrives fresh from his China Open final victory in Beijing on Wednesday, his form a beacon in the Asian swing’s grind. Novak Djokovic, seeded fourth at 38 and a four-time champion here, returns to these courts for the first time since his US Open semifinal defeat to Alcaraz, the sting of that loss sharpening his focus.

Alcaraz, who dispatched Taylor Fritz in Tuesday’s Japan Open final, bows out entirely, citing physical strains that demand rest over risk. This absence, alongside the staggered schedule, amplifies the mental layers of the event, where jet lag and fatigue turn every session into a test of will. For Goffin, the second round offers a breather before potential elite clashes, his veteran poise a subtle edge in a field alive with shifting dynamics and unspoken rivalries.