Goffin Fires Belgium Past Italy
BELGIUM 3, ITALY 2
Spiroudome de Charleroi, Charleroi, BEL (hard - indoor)
World No. 14 David Goffin wasted no time in sending Belgium to the Davis Cup semi-finals, ousting Paolo Lorenzi 6-3, 6-3, 6-2 in just one hour and 52 minutes on Sunday.
In front of the partisan Belgian crowd in Charleroi, Goffin sent the host nation back to the semis for the second time in three years, improving to 13-1 in his last 14 singles rubbers. The 2015 runners-up will welcome Australia in September.
"When you see the score it was comfortable, but inside it was not," said Goffin. "You have to stay focused. Especially when you win the first two sets and you think it's the end, but it's not. I'm really happy with how I finished.
"I just give my best on the court. I just want to play for my team and my country. I love to play at home, with the atmosphere in front of my own fans."
Goffin fired a forehand winner - his 29th of the match - to claim victory on Sunday. It was his second straight-set singles win of the tie, having defeated Andreas Seppi 6-4, 6-3, 6-3 on Friday.
In the dead rubber, Alessandro Giannessi defeated Joris de Loore 6-4, 7-6(9).
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