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WESTERN & SOUTHERN OPEN

August 17, 2019

David Goffin

Cincinnati, Ohio

D. GOFFIN/R. Gasquet

6-3, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. You were getting a really good read on his second serve. He only won three points on his second serve.
DAVID GOFFIN: On his second serve? Yeah, I returned well. That was the key. I knew before the match that I had to go and be aggressive on his second serve, to put him under pressure.

I think that was the tactic before the match, and I did it really well. I put him under pressure. Controlled the game after the return.

So it's good stats. It worked well. Yeah, it was the key of the win.

Q. A little bit of a hiccup, falling behind after winning the first set, behind a break in the second, but you corrected the course and just rolled from there.
DAVID GOFFIN: Yeah, it was not easy. I didn't know how Richard will react after first set. Then I lost a little bit my concentration at 40-15, my service game, and then it was 2-Love.

But I was happy and lucky that I took the opportunity to come back straightaway to broke back and to be back in the set again.

So it was important, really important game. Then I took my service game, not easy, to 2-All, and then I had opportunity in his service game, so I was again on top of him after that.

Q. You said on TV after the match that you believe that he probably was a bit more tired than you were. Did you have any indication? Did you feel he wasn't moving as well as he normally does?
DAVID GOFFIN: No, but I knew that he was in the semifinal for the first time in Masters since a long time. He had big injury. It was hot, humid. I felt that it was a little bit heavy.

And he played a really nice match yesterday against Roberto Bautista Agut. I knew that for him it was tough physically, and I had to put him under pressure to move him a lot.

And I felt, yeah, that he was a little bit tired. Me yesterday I just had an easy hit, like almost a day off. So I was a little bit lucky today.

Q. Right after Indian Wells you played a new challenger in Phoenix. Ever since then you have been having really good results. Wondering what your thoughts were playing that, and do you feel that helped you out?
DAVID GOFFIN: Yeah, of course it was a tough period there. I was coming back from injuries. I had some trouble with my confidence. I couldn't find my rhythm, my game.

Then I changed coach. Thomas came at this time in Indian Wells. It was much better. Week after week I started to play well during practice. Then after that some part of matches were much better. Then one matches, two matches, and then after that -- it takes time sometime to go back to your best level.

And then on the grass -- maybe at the end on the clay it was the moment I needed some good matches, good match against Rafa. Then on the grass I continued to play some good tennis.

Here again, a final again, so it's great now. I'm feeling great. I'm back at my best tennis. So it's good. It's good.

Q. You also said that you had to fight your own emotions for the opportunity that you had to go to the final in Masters 1000. Did you think at any time about last year when you were a set ahead with Roger and then you got injured?
DAVID GOFFIN: I lost the first set last year, but I was injured. But, yeah, the last four opportunities I had to be in a final, I played Raonic, tough match, three sets in Indian Wells, and then Rafa, Novak, and Roger. So it was tough opponents in the semis. I was always the underdog.

I had nothing to lose, but it was a tough opponent. I had no regrets on those matches.

But today I had maybe the opportunity, you know, all the pressure because I didn't play yesterday so I was 100%. Richard was tired. I had an opportunity to win. So, you know, everything is in your head turning and you have to stay calm and have to make your match like it's a normal match.

That's what I did. That's why it was not easy to deal with the emotion this match.

Q. Next up either Novak, No. 1, or Medvedev who is playing exceptional.
DAVID GOFFIN: Oh, yeah, it will be an exciting match. I look forward to see that one tonight. It's probably the two best players at the moment maybe with Rafa, but Rafa didn't play for the moment here in Cincinnati.

He played two finals. Novak just rest, and he came back this tournament like he never stopped. So it's impressive.

Both are so solid returning. They are doing everything right, good. It's going to be a great match to see. A lot of rallies, a lot of spectacular points, I think. But for me, my job is done so I will look at the match easy tonight.

Q. You're the first Belgian player to make a Masters 1000 series singles final. With the Olympics coming up next year, how do you feel about making history for your country?
DAVID GOFFIN: Yeah, of course it's really nice and it is important, but I'm not focused on make history in my country. Of course it's really nice when you -- I love to play Davis Cup. I love to play for my country. I love to make everything for Belgium.

I'm just focused on what I have to do step by step. I try to do my best. I try to win every match, and then we see at the end.

But of course in such a small country, to have -- we had good players even before with Justine and Kim. We had two World No. 1s on the women's side, and now to reach first Masters 1000 for a Belgian, of course for such a small country it's really nice.

Why not? The Olympics are coming next year, and I will do everything to be there 100% and try to do well.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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