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Goffin ‘very motivated’ after Belgium make winning ATP Cup start
SYDNEY, Jan 3, 2020 (BSS/AFP) – World number 11 David Goffin said he was
“very motivated” after getting his season off to a winning start Friday at
the ATP Cup in Sydney, which was marred by a national anthem gaffe by
organisers.
Belgium’s top player led his team to a win over Group C rivals Moldova at
the inaugural 24-nation event that is also being played in Brisbane and
Perth.
He cruised past an error-laden Radu Albot 6-4, 6-1, rarely threatened by
the world number 46 who broke new ground in 2019 by becoming his country’s
first ATP Tour title winner at Delray Beach.
“I was very good intensity, good energy, good attitude. That made the
difference,” said Goffin, who made two ATP Tour finals last year at Halle and
Cincinnati.
“I’m very motivated, happy to start the year with new ambitions, so maybe
that’s why today was a very good match.”
“It’s never easy to start the season with the first match, first team
competition, the new format, with the team on the bench. And the way I
played, I’m very pleased and so it’s good for the next tie.”
The ATP Cup, which allows on-court coaching, has 24 nations split into six
groups across the three cities, with eight teams emerging from the round-
robin to compete in a knockout phase in Sydney until one country is left
standing.
Under the format, the second-ranked singles players from each team face
each other first before the top players take to the court, followed by a
doubles.
Belgium’s Steve Darcis earlier scrapped past Alexander Cozbinov 6-4, 6-7
(4/7), 7-5 to hand his country a perfect start, with the match marred by the
Romanian anthem being played beforehand instead of Moldova.
“We are sincerely sorry and have apologised personally to Team Moldova,”
the ATP said.
Cozbinov, ranked 818 and who had never played an ATP Tour match before,
insisted it was “not a big deal”.
“But it wasn’t that hard to pick the right anthem,” he told AFP. “Moldova
and Romania have the same flag so probably that’s why they made a mistake.
Hopefully next time it’s going to be the right one.”
The Tim Henman-skippered Britain, minus the injured Andy Murray, take on
Bulgaria in the second Group C tie later Friday, with Grigor Dimitrov acting
as playing-captain of his country.
BSS/AFP/BZC/1450HRS