David Goffin downs Adrian Mannarino to win Japan Open tennis title

David Goffin, who lost to Nick Kyrgios in last year’s final, rose to number eight in the Race to London rankings with a 6-3, 7-5 win over Adrian Mannarino in the Japan Open tennis final.

Fourth-seeded Belgian David Goffin beat Frenchman Adrian Mannarino 6-3 7-5 in the Japan Open final in Tokyo on Sunday to win his second tennis title in as many weeks and first Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) 500 trophy.

David Goffin of Belgium poses with the trophy after beating Adrian Mannarino of France during their men's singles final match of the Japan Open tennis tournament in Tokyo, Sunday, Oct. 8, 2017. (AP)

Goffin, who lost to Nick Kyrgios in last year’s final, extended his winning streak to nine matches to rise to number eight in the Race to London rankings, boosting his chances of playing in the season-ending tournament.

The 26-year-old was dominant from the start and broke Mannarino to take a 3-1 lead in the opener and maintained the one-break advantage to claim the set, winning 21 of 25 points on his own serve.

World number 31 Mannarino rallied in the second and broke Goffin to take a 4-2 lead but the in-form Belgian responded by breaking the Frenchman immediately and once more in the 11th game as he charged to victory.

The win in Tokyo was Goffin’s fourth career title and second of the season after his ATP 250 Shenzhen Open triumph last Sunday.