Dimitrov sets up summit clash with Goffin

Dimitrov improved to 4-0 in London this week to reach the Nitto ATP Finals title match, his fifth final of the season and the biggest of his career. 

Waiting for him will be seventh seed David Goffin, who upset six-time former champion Roger Federer 2-6, 6-3, 6-4 earlier on Saturday. Dimitrov leads their Head2Head series 4-1, including a 6-0, 6-2 rout on Wednesday during Group Pete Sampras play.

“I think his confidence is going to be up there. But I’m not going to focus on his confidence or his game right now. I’m just focusing on myself, the recovery that I’m going to do today,” Dimitrov said. 

Dimitrov became the first debutant to reach the final since David Ferrer of Spain in 2007 (l. to Federer). Dimitrov will try to match another Spaniard by winning the season finale. Alex Corretja in 1998 was the last debutant to win the Nitto ATP Finals crown (d. Moya). 

Another title would give Dimitrov a career-best four crowns for the season. He’s already hoisted trophies at the Brisbane International presented by Suncorp, at the Garanti Koza Sofia Open and at the Western & Southern Open in Cincinnati, his first ATP World Tour Masters 1000 tournament and the biggest title of his career.

Even if he loses on Sunday, though, he’s guaranteed another career-high in the ATP rankings. “The goal was to finish the year Top 10. Now I finished 3,” Dimitrov said. 

“It’s wonderful, a wonderful reward. This is what I’ve been working for... It’s not only good for me, I think for the whole team. I think that gives us a very good platform to start in the off-season, to have a good start next year.” 

The sixth-seeded Dimitrov first had to overcome some past demons to reach his fifth final of the season. Dimitrov trailed Sock in their FedEx ATP Head2Head rivalry 1-3. 

But in two of those losses, the Bulgarian held match points, including earlier this year at the BNP Paribas Open, where Dimitrov had four match points but couldn’t break through.