David Goffin, the world number 13, has reached his first quarterfinal at Roland Garros. The Belgian was down 0-3 before rain forced a suspension of his match against Latvian-born Ernests Gulbis. Goffin returned the next day with a fury to steamroll his opponent 4-6, 6-2, 6-2, 6-3 and advance at the 2016 French Open

A rocky beginning

The start to the match was fraught with drama. Both men entered the court to a soggy and very wet day wondering if they would even play the match at all. After officials found a small window they asked the two men to compete under light rain conditions. 

A litany of errors led to all the points in the first game of the match as Gulbis would take a 1-0 lead. In the higher seed's first service game, Gulbis used a powerful forehand winner to roll the ball past Goffin and win the break. The Latvian would then get in a little trouble in his next service game. It was a back and forth affair with long rallies on a dangerously wet court. Gulbis would eventually blast an ace that gave him a 3-0 match lead. 

Then came the fireworks. 

Both men appeared very unhappy to still be playing on a court they deemed unfit and dangerous. Goffin had a heated conversation with the chair umpire and other officials. He, at one point, told them he felt he would slip every time he tried to pivot as he was losing his footing. While that argument was happening, Gulbis began packing his bags. He went to make his way off the court before being intercepted by a tournament official. The chair umpire insisted the conditions were not as bad and that players could continue in the drizzle. 

A frustrated Gulbis attempts to leave the court under wet conditions at the 2016 French Open. (Photo: Getty Images)
A frustrated Gulbis attempts to leave the court under wet conditions at the 2016 French Open. (Photo: Getty Images)

That conversation did not seem to placate Goffin. He began packing his bags as well. Both players began to walk off the court. Officials had little choice but to suspend the match. There remains some confusion about when the match was actually suspended- some insist a suspension was imminent anyway. 

A strong return

The reprieve seemed to recharge Goffin. He returned the next day and began to get the better hand of a bewildered Gulbis. 

Despite the fervor displayed, it wasn't enough for the Belgian to win the first set. The heavy conditions still tended to favor the Latvian earlier in the resumed match. He used those conditions to play a heavy drop shot on set point. 

Goffin truly began his comeback in the second set. He turned on the jets and used his speed to blaze balls past Gulbis that pounded the red clay. The Belgian would only commit one unforced error in the first three games of the set. He took a 3-0 set lead. 

Goffin closed out the set with only three unforced errors, an impressive feat in such heavy conditions. His impressive 6-2 set victory leveled the match. 

Closing it out

Goffin then began to see and hit the ball well. His quickness on the court led him to track nearly every single return he saw. Gulbis, for his part, was effectively wild. Several of his shots not only missed their target, they failed to even land in the court altogether. A frustrated Gulbis was broken and dropped the second set to his Belgian counterpart. At one point, Gulbis had committed an astonishing 52 errors to just 13 for his opponent.  

The Latvian won the first game in the final set with a strong smash off his forehand, eliciting praise from the crowd. Yet, the messy play of the world number 80 helped Goffin close out the match. Fleet of foot, he blasted Gulbis with his consistent backhand play and leaving him on serve for a chance to stay in the match. 

In a strange occurrence, the match ended much like it began- with Gulbis serving among a litany of errors by both players. 

Neither opponent gained a winner in the final game as a messy display of errors brought about match-point. In true fashion, Gulbis committed a double fault, sending his opponent into his first ever quarterfinal at the French Open.

Goffin becomes just the second Belgian man to ever advance to the quarterfinal at Roland Garros. Filip Dewulf previously accomplished the task in 1997. 

The 25-year old Goffin will face another emerging player for a spot in the top 10 of the world rankings for the first time his career. He'll surely look for a better start against Dominic Thiem, as the young Austrian is looking for a top 10 spot of his own. 

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