Goffin beats Bautista Agut to win Open Sud de France title

MONTPELLIER, France (AP) — Second-seeded David Goffin of Belgium rallied to beat top-seeded Roberto Bautista Agut of Spain 5-7, 6-4, 6-2 to win the Open Sud de France on Sunday and clinch his fifth career title.

Bautista Agut was chasing a 10th career title and first since winning Doha in 2019, but Goffin took control when he broke his opponent in the first game of the deciding set and went on to celebrate his first title since Tokyo in 2017.

“This is my fifth (title) and every tournament that I’ve won was very special,” Goffin said. “I had some opportunities. I’ve had matches (where) I had zero chance to win in the final. Sometimes you take it, sometimes not.”

The 30-year-old Goffin has now beaten Bautista Agut in four straight matches and leads him 4-2 overall.

Goffin hit 13 aces compared to seven for his opponent and proved stronger on second serve, winning 65% of points. Although Goffin dropped his own serve twice, he broke Bautista Agut four times and punished the Spaniard's erratic second serve.

“You need to fight and I’m happy that it paid off at the end,” said the 15th-ranked Goffin, who had lost his two previous semifinals in Montpellier.

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