Vernon native Vasek Pospisil was going to put away his tennis bag for a few days after suffering a second-round loss Wednesday at the $3.7 million Western & Southern Open in Cincinnati.
Pospisil failed to convert on four match points as he was upset 7-5, 1-6, 7-6 (6) by Belgian qualifier David Goffin, who’s ranked 80th.
“Time for some rest and recovery… Much needed,” wrote Pospisil on his Facebook page.
Pospisil, 23, had risen to 40th in the ATP Tour rankings after reaching last week’s Rogers Cup semifinals against Milos Raonic in Montreal.
Pospisil’s prediction that he would have a tough time with Goffin proved to be correct, despite 13 aces and the Belgian’s nine double faults.
He fell on a late break in the opening set but roared back to sweep the second.
The third set was tight, with Pospisil grabbing a 6-5 lead on a break and moving into position to serve out victory. Goffin, however, saved a match point in the next game and then forced Pospisil to salvage a break point before finally dropping to 6-6.
In the tiebreaker, Pospisil had three more match points and failed to convert on all of them. Goffin grabbed his first match point.
Next up for Pospisil is the $25.5 million U.S. Open, Aug. 26-Sept. 9 in New York.
