Grigor Dimitrov knows as well as any, the problem with being a precocious prospect is the enormous weight of expectations from a young age. Wrapping up 2017 as the Nitto ATP Finals champion, he has made it abundantly clear he has landed.

For years, the gifted Bulgarian has garnered hype as one of the next big things. His results have provided hope, but it was not until 2017 that he solidified his intentions with a first tour title in 2.5 years in Brisbane, a title on home soil in Sofia, a maiden ATP World Tour Masters 1000 trophy in Cincinnati and now the biggest title of his career at The O2.

Dimitrov started the year in a canter, falling in a high-quality five-set semi-final defeat to Rafael Nadal in the Australian Open semi-finals. But after a triumph over David Goffin in the Sofia final helped propel him to a 16-1 start in 2017, inconsistency began to plague the mid-part of his season, the type that had so often hamstrung his progress in previous years.

At 26, maturity, experience and dedication taught Dimitrov, though, he could turn things around if he put his mind to it. Qualifying for his first season finale was surely validation and a hint of what was potentially in store for 2018.

“I think I’ve had good results in the past, but now, as I said, I need to be even more consistent on those kind of events, and in the same time raise up my level on occasions like this,” Dimitrov said.

“Obviously, this is a great, unbelievable achievement for me, yes. But I still have a lot to give. I want to perform better and better.”

Win or lose the final against Goffin on Sunday, Dimitrov was assured of reaching a career-high of No. 3 in the Emirates ATP Rankings. A form and motivation slump had seen his ranking take a hit when he fell to as low as World No.40 in July last year.

“There I was thinking, ‘How can I put it together, put three balls in the court?’ But again, with the right state of mind, with the right people, with the right support, things happen,” Dimitrov said.

“For me, that period really helped me a lot. I think I needed that. And I appreciate those, six, seven months that were a complete struggle for me. I appreciate them in a way that only yourself, if you’ve been through that, you would understand that… Little by little, drop by drop, here I am.”

Victory over Goffin saw the Bulgarian finish his debut Nitto ATP Finals campaign undefeated, having seen off No. 4 seed Dominic Thiem, Goffin and Pablo Carreno Busta in the group stages.

After he let four match points slip against Jack Sock the last time they played this year in Indian Wells, Dimitrov was understandably nervous when he needed three match points to get the job done in their semi-final of the season finale on Saturday. In Sunday’s final, there would be no repeat of the 6-0, 6-2 thrashing he dealt Goffin in the group stage.

He knew the Belgian was going to change his tactics after the previous clash. This one would require patience.

“Well, I was a little bit tired, as well. I had to play a few matches obviously back-to-back against solid opponents,” Dimitrov said of his more conservative approach on Sunday. “I think throughout the whole week, I’ve been keeping a good level. I knew that David is going to try something new. He had to be aggressive so he doesn’t let me play my game.

“Obviously a little nervous towards the end of the match, which is I think quite normal. But again, I’m over that hurdle. I’m very happy just to finish strong.”

It caps a career-best season for the Bulgarian and a potential prelude to what’s in store. For now, it’s a few days of complete rest until he admits he’ll probably have to go for a run: “I’m going to get so restless.”

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His backhand kept him in the match, but it was his forehand that wrapped both hands around the trophy.

Grigor Dimitrov defeated David Goffin 7-5, 4-6, 6-3 to win the Nitto ATP Finals at The O2 on Sunday, with his forehand hugely responsible for the only break of serve in the third and deciding set. With Goffin serving at 2-3 in the third, Dimitrov hit 12 rally backhands in the game, committing two errors. Importantly, no Dimitrov rally backhand extracted an error from Goffin on the other side of the court. 

His forehand, on the other hand, did all the heavy lifting.

Dimitrov hit 11 rally forehands in the game, five of which forced an error from the Belgian – including the final two points of the game to secure the critical break. Those five rally forehands from Dimitrov won’t turn up in a winner column on a stats sheet, but they had a major bearing on the final result. 

Three of the five errors from Goffin in the game actually came from run-around forehands from Dimitrov, as he upgraded from his comparatively slower backhand to his more potent forehand. If Dimitrov had just accepted those rally five balls to the Ad court as a backhand, the match could easily have taken a different twist at that important juncture.

Overall for the match, Dimitrov hit 62 per cent (174) forehands and 38 per cent (108) backhands, with his forehands being struck almost 20 per cent harder. Dimitrov averaged 75mph from his forehand wing, and just 62mph with his backhand.

In general play, Goffin was always looking to match up his stronger backhand through the Ad court to Dimitrov’s backhand, which made it imperative for the Bulgarian to hit as many run-around forehands as possible to escape the effective “backhand cage” tactics from Goffin.

The Belgian hit a substantial 82% of his backhands cross court to Dimitrov’s backhand, enjoying a critical power advantage in this area, mainly because he could force Dimitrov to slice the ball from deep behind the baseline where Goffin was not in any danger of getting hurt.

Average Backhand Speed 
• Goffin = 68mph
• Dimitrov = 62mph

Groundstroke Topspin / Slice Ratio
• Goffin = 93% topspin / 7% slice
• Dimitrov = 73% topspin / 27% slice

Backhand Rally Hit Point 
• Goffin = 21% inside baseline / 79% behind
• Dimitrov = 14% inside baseline = 86% behind

Dimitrov Serving
Dimitrov’s serve performance was up and down during in the match, with nerves playing a part in some wayward tosses, and also responsible for six double faults. But in the third set, Dimitrov’s serve lifted, particularly winning critical free points by forcing more return errors from Goffin than in any other set.

Dimitrov Unreturned Serves
• Set 1 = 30%
• Set 2 = 28%
• Set 3 = 41%

Dimitrov also won the highest percentage of first and second serve points of any set in the third set, sending down just one ace, but most importantly, just committing one double fault.

Dimitrov 1st Serve Points Won
• Set 1 = 70%
• Set 2 = 61%
• Set 3 = 73%

Dimitrov 2nd Serve Points Won
• Set 1 = 25%
• Set 2 = 60%
• Set 3 = 64%

Rally Length
Dimitrov won just six more points than Goffin (108 – 102) for the match. with that slight advantage coming mostly in the extended rallies of 10+ shots. Overall, 91 per cent of all points were in the single digits of nine shots or less, with both players being almost dead even in points won.

Points Won Under 9 Shots 
• Dimitrov = 96
• Goffin = 95

Points Won 10+ Shots
• Dimitrov = 12
• Goffin = 7

It was a see-sawing, high quality final that had the packed house on the edge of their seats as they witnessed Dimitrov finally seal victory on his fifth match point. A handful of seemingly random forehands earlier in the set had an important say in Dimitrov winning the biggest title of his career.

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Pancho Segura, one of the world’s leading players of the 1940s and 1950s, who would later mentor and coach Jimmy Connors, passed away on Saturday aged 96 due to complications of Parkinson’s disease at his home in Carlsbad, California.

At 5’6″, Segura was diminutive in stature, but displayed an imposing game predicated on lightning-fast agility, a lethal two-handed forehand and astute court awareness. Tennis legend Jack Kramer, the ATP’s first Executive Director, once said that he possessed “the single greatest shot in the history of tennis”, as his forehand cut through the court with devastating precision and power. 

Upon turning professional in 1947, Segura became an immediate fan favourite with his sharp sense of humour and unorthodox style. He would ascend to No. 1 in the world rankings in 1950 and was an inductee of the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1984, following a successful 20-year career. A three-time U.S. Pro champion from 1950-52, he is the only player to have won the title on three different surfaces.

While Segura earned fame and respect from his peers for his actions between the lines, it was his improbable story of survival that is most remarkable. Born in Guayaquil, Ecuador, as one of seven children, he overcame an impoverished childhood and was plagued by rickets, which resulted in bowed legs, and malaria. But despite the improbable odds, Segura thrived on the tennis court with great athleticism and is regarded as one of the greatest players to hail from South America.

In 1962, Segura launched a successful career as a coach in the United States and was hired as the tennis director at the Beverly Hills Tennis Club, where he became a mentor and coach to Jimmy Connors. In the late 1960s and 1970s, he honed Connors’ game and guided him to multiple Grand Slam crowns.

Segura would later become a citizen of the United States in 1991. His autobiography, Little Pancho: The Life of Tennis Legend Pancho Segura, was published in May 2009.

He is survived by his second wife, Beverley, their daughter, Maria. He had one son, Spencer, from his first marriage.

Francisco Olegario Segura, tennis player and coach, born 20 June 1921, died 19 November 2017.

Sad day– lost my friend-coach- and mentor- the great Pancho Segura to complications from Parkinson’s- passed last night at age 96- RIP ??

— Jimmy Connors (@JimmyConnors) November 19, 2017

Segura shared some of his tennis memories in this Biofile with Scoop Malinowski, published in 2010.

Status: Tennis Hall of Famer. Won the U.S. Pro Championships in 1950, 1951 & 1952.

Height: 5’6″, Weight: 160 lbs.

Date Of Birth: June 20, 1921 in Guayaquil, Ecuador

First Tennis Memory: Somebody gave me his racquet and I always watched. I held it with two hands. I was seven years old. And I played against the wall. I loved it. I learned to hit the ball on the rise. I never let the ball come to me, I went to the ball. Except when returning a first serve. Then you have to let the ball come in if the serve is 120 miles per hour.

Tennis Heroes: Well, I admired Jack Kramer because he could serve and volley. And he never lost a set. He always won 6-4, 7-5, 8-6. In my day there was no tiebreak. So if you lost your serve you were dead with Kramer. That’s the way you played the game – aggressively. Aggressive when you’re in front, conservative when you were down.

Favourite Meal: I eat everything in sight.

Favourite Ice Cream Flavour: Vanilla.

Pre-Match Feeling: I’m thinking about how am I going to hold serve.

Last Book Read: Bill Tilden. BT. The great player. He didn’t believe players should play with both hands. He was a controversial writer.

Greatest Sports Moment: Beating Pancho Gonzalez 6-2, 6-2, 6-2 in 1952 in Forest Hills on grass.

Most Painful Moment: Losing Santa Barbara to Kramer after having a 5-0 lead in the first set. And I couldn’t sleep. And losing to Kramer in Wimbledon in 1950.

Favourite Tournaments: Australia. And all the Grand Slams. Because it’s three out of five. It’s a test of tennis and conditioning. Several tests of the game.

Which Matches Were You At Your Very Best: Beating Gonzalez, beating Sedgman and beating Rosewall on grass. Winning always gives you confidence and you have a happy ending. When you lose – I hated myself. I was a tough competitor. I hated to lose.

Funny Tennis Memory: Trying to date Shirley Temple in 1947 [laughs]. At Forest Hills. I didn’t have any money, no wheels, nothing. And going around with Ava Gardner, it was fun.

Embarrassing Tennis Memory: Nothing, not having a dime, you’re broke. And having to turn pro for $300 a week in 1946, ’47.

Favourite Players To Watch: Unquestionably, Roger Federer. Because he’s a complete player. Rafael Nadal – because he gives 100% on every shot. He’s like my pupil Jimmy Connors, they’re both left-handed. He’s got speed, he’s got everything. He could come in on the return of serve. You never see Nadal attack the serve and take the net away.

But the man who can beat him, Juan Martin del Potro, he’s got potential. He’s 6’6″, got a huge first serve, a huge second serve. He’s got everything but physical conditioning. I don’t know if he can go five sets day in, day out. Del Potro is going to be better than Andy Murray because he has a better serve. He’s bigger. He’s got to work on his conditioning and serve more first serves and attack second serves. Every second serve, del Potro should cream it. What counts in tennis is who makes the first shot tougher. If you can do it when you serve or return, you got it made.

Funniest Player Encountered: Carl Erne. He looks like Danny Thomas. Frank Kovacs. Pancho Segura [smiles].

Closest Tennis Friends: Pancho Gonzalez, Ken Rosewall, the Australians – they’re all good people.

People Qualities Most Admired: Generous. Respect for another citizen. And help the unfortunate. Don’t just give them money and everything, help them. Help their standard of living. Give opportunities to them, people who deserve it.

Career Accomplishments: At Miami University won U.S. Intercollegiate singles in 1943, 1944 and 1945; Won U.S. Indoor title in 1946 and U.S. Clay Court title in 1944; Elected to International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1984.

The final hurdle may have proven one too many for David Goffin at the Nitto ATP Finals, but the lithe Belgian’s confidence has never been higher as he leaves London. Only an inspired Grigor Dimitrov would bring his first campaign as an outright qualifier to an end.

No man had beaten Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal in the same event and fallen short of claiming the title. But Goffin was not bitter – he was only drawing positives from the biggest week of his career.

“No, it’s not unfair,” Goffin said. “I think I deserve the win today, of course. But Grigor also, he deserves the win. He was unbeatable this week. He played really great tennis, was really solid from the first match until the end. So he deserves completely to be here and to win the tournament.

“Even if I won against Rafa and Roger, I lost the final. But anyway, it was a great week. So I have no regrets after that match.”

Dimitrov’s 7-5, 4-6, 6-3 triumph meant he was the only man to beat Goffin all tournament. He also won the pair’s round-robin clash for the loss of just two games.

Goffin became the first Belgian man to beat a No. 1 in the Emirates ATP Rankings when he upset Nadal first up, before his convincing defeat to Dimitrov. He surged into his maiden Nitto ATP Finals semi-final with an emphatic win over No. 4 seed Dominic Thiem before overturning a 0-6 FedEx ATP Head2Head record against Federer in the semi-finals.

It made him just the sixth man to beat Federer and Nadal in the same event and the first since Djokovic to do so at the 2015 Nitto ATP Finals. 

“I think after this week I’m a better player mentally,” Goffin said. “Obviously mentally, but also physically. It was tough. “I proved to myself that I can do it. I was at the right place because sometimes you are for the first time in the Top 8, you don’t know how it’s going to go, if you’re going to play a good level.

“I proved to myself that I’m in the right place, and I deserve to be here in this tournament. Then match after match, I took more confidence until the final. So I’m proud of what I’ve achieved, even if I’m disappointed about the final. “I gave everything. I have no regrets after the final. Anyway, it was a great week.”

It caps a remarkable turnaround in fortunes for the 26-year-old, following a freak mid-season setback when he tripped on the court covers during a third-round clash with Horacio Zeballos at Roland Garros and was forced to retire with an ankle injury.

After starting the year with a quarter-final run at the Australian Open and having reached back-to-back finals in Sofia (l. Dimitrov) and Rotterdam (l. to Tsonga) it was a cruel blow and meant he would miss Wimbledon. He found form after the US Open when he snapped a six-match losing streak in finals to claim back-to-back titles at Shenzhen (d. Dolgopolov) and Tokyo (d. Mannarino).

Where a well-earned break is in order for most of his peers, Goffin is not quite done. He will make his way to Lille now for Belgium’s second Davis Cup final in three years where his nation will face the might of France.

Regardless of whether his team leaves France with the silverware, 2017 has already proven to Goffin he’s in the right place and he deserves to be there.

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