Stat of the Day: David Goffin first player to defeat Carlos Alcaraz in straight sets in 11 months

David Goffin pulled off the first big upset of the Astana Open on Tuesday, defeating current No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz in straight sets, 7-5, 6-3, in the first round of the ATP 500 event.

Goffin, who’s currently No. 66 on the ATP rankings, got into the draw as a lucky loser—but with 17 previous career wins over Top 10 players, including two against No. 1s, and having been ranked in the Top 10 himself as recently as 2020, the belief is obviously always there.

“When you play against the world No. 1 on a big stage, big crowd, the fire inside gives you so much power to play your best tennis because you don’t have any choice,” the former No. 7 told ATPTour.com. “You have to fight and give your best and that was the case today.

“I always believed I had it and I am happy it’s still there.”

Goffin also achieved something that nobody else had been able to do for 11 months: defeat the Spanish teenager in straight sets.

Alcaraz’s last straight-set loss before this came against France’s Hugo Gaston in the third round of the Masters 1000 event in Paris on November 4th, 2021. He lost that match, 6-4, 7-5, though he very nearly pushed that to a third set too, having led 5-0 in the second set.

Since that loss to the Frenchman in the French capital, Alcaraz had gone 67 matches in a row without losing in straight sets, going 57-10 in those.

ALCARAZ’S LOSSES IN THE LAST 11 MONTHS

• l. to Berrettini, 6-2, 7-6 (3), 4-6, 2-6, 7-6 (5), in 2022 Australian Open 3rd Rd
• l. to Nadal, 6-4, 4-6, 6-3, in 2022 Indian Wells SFs
• l. to Korda, 7-6 (2), 6-7 (5), 6-3, in 2022 Monte Carlo 2nd Rd
• l. to Zverev, 6-4, 6-4, 4-6, 7-6 (7), in 2022 Roland Garros QFs
• l. to Sinner, 6-1, 6-4, 6-7 (8), 6-3, in 2022 Wimbledon 4th Rd
• l. to Musetti, 6-4, 6-7 (6), 6-4, in 2022 Hamburg F
• l. to Sinner, 6-7 (5), 6-1, 6-1, in 2022 Umag F
• l. to Paul, 6-7 (4), 7-6 (7), 6-3, in 2022 Canada 2nd Rd
• l. to Norrie, 7-6 (4), 6-7 (4), 6-4, in 2022 Cincinnati QFs
• l. to Auger-Aliassime, 6-7 (3), 6-4, 6-2, in 2022 Davis Cup Finals RR
• l. to Goffin, 7-5, 6-3, in 2022 Astana 1st Rd

The new US Open champion and world No. 1 will now have a few weeks off before returning to competition in Basel, Switzerland the week of October 24th.

The victory over Alcaraz was Goffin’s 18th over a Top 10 player, ninth over a Top 5 player and third over a reigning world No. 1.

GOFFIN’S CAREER WINS AGAINST TOP 5 PLAYERS (9)

• d. No. 1 Nadal in 2017 ATP Finals RR [indoor hard]
• d. No. 1 Nadal in 2020 ATP Cup QFs [hard]
• d. No. 1 Alcaraz in 2022 Astana 1st Rd [indoor hard]
• d. No. 2 Djokovic in 2017 Monte Carlo QFs [clay]
• d. No. 2 Federer in 2017 ATP Finals SFs [indoor hard]
• d. No. 3 Del Potro in 2018 Cincinnati QFs [hard]
• d. No. 4 Wawrinka in 2016 Indian Wells 4th Rd [hard]
• d. No. 4 Thiem in 2017 ATP Finals RR [indoor hard]
• d. No. 5 Zverev in 2019 Halle QFs [grass]