David Goffin: Playing without fans did me advantage against Reilly Opelka

World No. 10 David Goffin admitted he felt a relief after breaking big-serving American Reilly Opelka for the first time in the March. 

Goffin, who claimed his first break of the match in the third game of the third set, eventually won 7-6 (2) 3-6 6-1 6-4 to set up a US Open second round clash against rising star Lloyd Harris.

"Yeah, it was a very important moment. But not only that moment. Of course, it was the first break of the match from my side, but after that I started to feel much better, more confident on the return," Goffin said.

"From the first break in the second game of the third set, I started to return much better, to be more confident. It was probably, yes, the key of the match. After that I had many opportunities, but he was serving always good.

"At the end I broke him two other times. It could be more if I was, yeah, a little bit more precise. I had opportunities until the end. I was very focused, very solid. It was a good match."

Goffin admitted Opelka was a tough opener 

Last week, Opelka made the Cincinnati Masters quarterfinal, before he was forced to retire toward the end of the first set against Stefanos Tsitsipas.

"It was great because you never want to play that kind of guy first round of a Grand Slam, especially on fast surface. Against that kind of player, big guy, you don't control everything. You can even play well, it's just you lose your concentration for a few seconds and you can lose the set. He can be in confidence, as well, hit some amazing shots. All of a sudden, the same: you lose the set," Goffin said.

"It's something that sometimes you don't control, and sometimes you prefer have the match in your racquet, feel that if you play your best, good tennis, you win.

"Against him it's never the case. You can play well and you can lose."

Goffin also admitted playing without fans did him a favor against Opelka.

"I think, yes, it was completely different conditions. Especially against him I think it was an advantage for me to play in front of an empty stadium because you never know. You feel the pressure, you have to stay very focused the whole match. When you feel the pressure of the crowd on your shoulder, everybody's behind Reilly, it would have been tougher I think today," Goffin said.

"I think to play in an empty stadium today was more advantage for me."

from Tennis World USA https://ift.tt/2YXGfyh