Month: September 2017

11:41 AM ET ESPN staff David Goffin reached his third final of 2017, where he will face Alexandr Dolgopolov for the Shenzhen title Sunday. The Belgian, seeded No. 2, battled past Henri Laaksonen 7-6 (7), 5-7, 6-3 Saturday to set up a clash against the unpredictable Dolgopolov in what he must hope will be third time lucky for a title this year. Dolgopolov, who beat Damir Dzumhur 6-3 6-4, leads the head-to-head over world No. 12 Goffin, winning both their previous encounters. The Ukrainian is also contesting his third final…

WUHAN, China — Unseeded Caroline Garcia of France won her first title of the year Saturday, beating Ashleigh Barty 6-7 (3), 7-6 (4), 6-2 in the Wuhan Open final. “A title is the best, it’s the best thing you can have in tennis. A big one or a small one, it doesn’t matter,” said Garcia, who clinched her fourth career title. The 20th-ranked Garcia, playing her first final of 2017, struck first by breaking Barty’s serve in the seventh game and holding the next to take a 5-3 lead. Barty…

10:04 AM ET ESPN staff Kateryna Bondarenko won her first WTA tour title in nine years as she edged Timea Babos in Tashkent. Second seed Babos had been the one to watch, having made the final in Quebec City, as well as winning her second career WTA singles title in Budapest earlier this year, but Bondarenko, 31, held on to claim a 6-4, 6-4 victory. Bondarenko broke first and went on to claim a tight opening set. The Ukrainian broke Babos three times in a row during the second, but…