Persistent Goffin Takes Down Cilic In Indian Wells

David Goffin just won’t take no for an answer. The industrious Belgian beat No. 10 seed Marin Cilic 7-6(4), 6-2 at the BNP Paribas Open on Thursday to reach his first ATP World Tour Masters 1000 semi-final. Goffin saved 11 of 12 break points to advance in 97 minutes.

Goffin’s journey to the final four has been far from smooth. The No. 18 in the Emirates ATP Rankings needed to save match points against NextGen star France Tiafoe in the second round, then snapped a 14-match losing streak against Top 10 players in upsetting Stan Wawrinka 6-3, 5-7, 7-6(5) in the fourth round. The win over Cilic was his first straight-sets win at Indian Wells this year.

Cilic, who held four set points in the opening set, fell to 0-8 in quarter-final appearances at ATP World Tour Masters 1000 events.