Dimitrov wins ATP Finals

The season is over for ATP players and Grigor Dimitrov (6) has won the chocolates in the London ATP Finals.

He remained undefeated throughout, and overcame David Goffin (7) in an exciting final.

Neither player had reached these dizzy heights at the seasons end, indeed had never qualified for the elite eight.

To make the final, David Goffin did something he had also never dome previously - knocking over Roger Federer (2) - and this after dropping the opening set. Federer was undefeated and supremely confident, only four losses for the year.

Perhaps a touch of arrogance entered his game and Goffin lifted the overall quality and consistency of his output to pressure Federer into unusual numbers of unforced errors.

One break point was all it needed and Goffin had levelled the semi final at 2-6 6-3. He took the momentum straight into the decider and the pressure showed on Federer.  

Goffin again outgunned the 19 time major winner both on serve and return to break once from two opportunities and win unexpectedly but outstandingly 2-6 6-3 6-4.

Dimitrov won his semi final against Jack Sock (8), but also took three sets to do so.

In set one, despite a woeful conversion of points won on first serve, Sock smashed it on his second delivery, and pulled Dimitrov’s second serve to pieces, winning 10 of 13 points.

The set went to the American 6-4.

Set two must have been uninteresting for Sock because he didn’t win a game. Dimitrov definitely lifted his work rate, but winning 24 points out of the 33 played said a lot about Sock’s failings.

The return of the eighth seed to competitive tennis happened early in set three, but despite an excellent first serve points won percentage, he lost all points when relying on a second delivery.

Dimitrov pounced on one of two break points and Sock wasted all of three. The Bulgarian reached the final 4-6 6-0 6-3.

The final was a rematch of the round robin encounter in which Dimitrov thrashed Goffin 6-0 6-2.

This was to prove completely different.

All the first three service games were lost by the server, two by Dimitrov.

Goffin consolidated a lead 4-2.

However the eighth game was pivotal when the Belgian failed to nail his advantage and surrendered the break to the sixth seed.

The momentum switch was irresistible and Grigor won four of the remaining five games played in the set to win it from Goffin 7-5.

As in his semi final with Federer, David fought back against another Goliath in set two.

Seven aces and 14 of 15 points won on first serve made holding his serve more comfortable than in the opening set.

Still finding a way through the Dimitrov defence was difficult.

Finally, with a break point each, Goffin was the one to convert and push the match to a decider, the scoreline 5-7 6-4.

Returning the Goffin serve well and winning significant number of points was integral to Dimitrov collecting six break points.

Goffin was playing well enough to find four of his own.

Only one of those ten was,converted, and that was enough for Grigor Dimitrov to capture his biggest title of 2017.

Top ten at end of the year:

1. Rafa Nadal 10,645

2. Roger Federer 9,605

3. Grigor Dimitrov 5,150 (Highest career ranking)

4. Alexander Zverev 4,610

5. Dominic Thiem 4,015

6. Marin Cilic 3,805

7. David Goffin 3,775 (HCR)

8. Jack Sock 3,165 (HCR)

9. Stan Wawrinka 3,150

10. Pablo Carreno Busta 2,615 (HCR)