Goffin had beaten Rafael Nadal in a thrilling three-setter on Monday night but despite a day off on Tuesday, he looked all at sea in a first set that lasted just 27 minutes.
The Bulgarian broke again in the second game of the second set and while Goffin ensured he avoided a humiliating double bagel, he could not wade his way back into the match as Dimitrov ruthlessly closed out the match with a fifth break of serve.
Goffin and Dimitrov had already met in 2017, twice in the space of less than a week. The Bulgarian’s lightning start to the year saw him take the title in Brisbane, winning 16 of his first 17 matches of the year.
And a second title came when he beat Goffin in Sofia in straight sets. However, the Belgian bounced back five days later to knock Dimitrov out of the Rotterdam tournament at the quarter-final stage in a thrilling three-setter.
First blood was drawn by Dimitrov in the early stages, forcing three break points in Goffin’s opening service game and coming forward to the net to convert the second one.
The aggression of which Dimitrov had spoken on Monday was clear as he hit the ball harder and flatter than Goffin, who had none of the penetration he had shown against Nadal.
And he was broken again in a protracted fourth game when twice he double-faulted at crucial moments. When the break did eventually come, at the fourth opportunity of the game, it was via two consecutive net cords that made it look initially cruel on Goffin. But it was no less than he or Dimitrov deserved.
Goffin has previous for the bagel against Dimitrov, losing the opening set without a game at the US Open but winning in four sets.
However, any thoughts of that comeback seemed quickly dispelled when he double-faulted for a fourth time in the match at 15-40 to concede another break of serve. The crowd, previously fervent in support of Dimitrov, quickly turned to pained gasps.
But when Goffin did finally get on the board, rallying from 0-30 in game 10, the London supporters were to a man, woman and child on their feet. This match had the billing of a classy affair between two stroke-makers with an even head-to-head record and they were darned if they weren’t going to see it.
Goffin had even forced a break point of his own in the previous game and very much joined battle at 3-1, pushing Dimitrov to his limits and even those of his coaching team – Dani Vallverdu warned for telling his charge to “use his forehand” more.
Dimitrov disputed the charge with the umpire briefly, but it was an indication of the ease of the victory that he did not feel the need to spend long arguing the toss.
It was not many minutes later that he was celebrating with his arms aloft, missing out on two match points before converting a third wth his 18th winner of the match – but it was Goffin’s 28 unforced errors that really told in the end.