David Goffin made a winning start at the Miami Masters. The Belgian faced Aleksandar Vukic in the first round and scored a 2-6, 6-4, 6-2 victory in an hour and 42 minutes, arranging the second-round clash with Carlos Alcaraz.
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Goffin expressed his unwavering motivation to challenge the top players in the world ahead of the clash with world no. 3.Despite Carlos'youth, Davidacknowledgedhim as a fantastic player, showcasing the excitement of competing against him in a big stadium.
The Belgian regained his confidence in the middle of 2024 after a string of poor results. He finished the previous season on the verge of top-50 and fueled his desire to prolong his career and embrace more duels against the game's leading figures.
David highlightedCarlos and hisimprovementsin every element of his game. Their previous match came in the closing stages of 2022, and the Belgian understands that his rival is much stronger than two and a half years ago.
He pointed out that Alcaraz has enhancedhis servethanks to recent technicalimprovements. David praised Carlos'dedication and the strong support system around him. Despite being the underdog, Goffin remains eager to test himself against one of the world's finest players.
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Carlos is seeking his second Miami Open title after 2022. He fell to Grigor Dimitrov in straight sets in the quarter-final a year ago, which opens the door for him to chase vital ranking points. Also, Alcaraz has yet to win a title in 2025, with his most recent loss coming in the Indian Wells semi-final.
Goffin did not make a good start to his Miami campaign. Vukic claimed the opening set 6-2 and gathered a boost. However, the Belgian stepped in and clinched the second set 6-4 to gain confidence. He overpowered his rival in the decider to go through and arrange the clash against world no. 3.
"That's why I continue to play tennis, comparing myself to the world's best players. I have another chance against Carlos. Despite being very young, he is a fantastic player. Facing him in a big stadium makes me happy, and it should be an exciting match.
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I have been feeling great since the middle of the previous season. I'm playing better, and the confidence is back. Carlos has improved all the elements of his game, especially his serve. He made some technique changes and physical improvements.
He is stronger than when we played the last time. Carlos has a great team around him, and they are doing everything to make him a better player. Facing him will be tough, and let's see what I can do," David Goffin said.
