ROLEX SHANGHAI MASTERS

October 8, 2024

David Goffin

Mixed Zone

D. GOFFIN/M. Giron

1-6, 6-3, 7-5

Q. That was quite the battle out there for you. You must be very pleased with how that went.

DAVID GOFFIN: Of course. It was a great fight, and, but again, I had to fight after 6-1 in the first, like the last two matches. I didn't start well, and he was playing better than me. This time it was tough, three, four first games. We were playing both really well. We had break points, we had game points at the second, third, fourth game. At the end it was 3-Love or 4-Love for him, so I was like, Okay, maybe I should just continue and just take my opportunities and wait for them in the second.

Then I started to feel better at the end of the first set, and then to start to win my service game a little bit easier in the second. Then I start to feel that I was just doing a little bit better what I was doing in the first, so not a huge change, but just everything a little bit better.

I started to play well. I started to have more short balls, I was more steady, I was more aggressive. At the end I'm really happy the reaction I had, and it was a great fight.

Q. You were very patient in that win. Is that kind of a key to the success of your career overall, and I guess in the last few months in particular?

DAVID GOFFIN: Yeah, I'm very happy. The last few months it was great fight, it was some good wins. Also, mentally I'm there for the last few months, everything is getting better week after week from, I would say spring and beginning of the summer. So, I'm very happy the way I'm playing, the way I'm coming back in the best part of the draws in big tournaments. So, everything's going well, so hopefully I can keep going like that.

Q. It's an incredible day for 30-something players. We've had yourself win, Grigor, Gael Monfils, Novak. I mean, 30-something tennis players, how does it feel to be among that group?

DAVID GOFFIN: It feels strange, you know. I feel like I'm the last part of the, you know, the age of the 30-plus. But I'm feeling great, and physically I'm playing a hundred percent, and I don't have pain anymore for the moment, so hopefully it can continue like that.

You know, Gael and Grigor, they were quite an inspiration for me, because they were a little bit injured, like for Gael, and he won 250 last week, last year in Stockholm.

Grigor played an amazing year. Started from, I would say, here last year, and then final in Paris, and then he came back in the top 10. You know, we were in the final of the Masters in 2017 against Grigor, and just to see him now going back in the top 10, I was like, Okay, it's quite unbelievable. We have the same age, so I was like, why should I, why shouldn't I come back as well, and try to go back in the higher ranking. It was quite an inspiration to see what he does, what he did last year.

I don't know if I can go to the top 10 again, but, I mean, I'm in a good way for the moment, with some good tennis, we will see where I can go.

Q. Your next match will be either against either Zverev or Tallon Griekspoor, any thoughts?

DAVID GOFFIN: It's tough players. I think I've never played against Tallon, it would be the first match against him. He's hitting the ball really well, he's a good ball striker. It's tough to stay with him in the rallies, so you have to make him move.

Sascha, I know him quite well, you know, from practicing together. We played each other a few times, I have a couple of wins, he has a little bit more. We played some good matches against each other, and he's an unbelievable player. Again, he played an unbelievable season already, so we will see. It's going to be a tough match anyway, I'm going to watch it a little bit and we will see how it can go.