He had finally broken Sampras's mythical serve and taken a set off his hero.
He was the first to take a set off him in the tournament.
Wawrinka is yet to even take a set off Nadal on the tour but this could be his best opportunity.
Moreover she has never taken a set off the American, losing all four of their previous matches.
Goffin, who is 21 and looks much younger, was the darling of the French Open in May, gaining the main draw as a lucky loser and winning a set off Roger Federer three rounds later.
Though he was supposed to return to the circuit six weeks after the injury, he came back in four and even took a set off No. 1 Novak Djokovic in Rome.
None of the odds favoured her: as with Stanislas Wawrinka's 0-12 magainstinst Rafael Nadal in the men's final, Cibulkova had not taken a set off Li in their four matches.
There were so many head-bowed little shrugs during his press conference that it was as if he was heaving with grief, which was understandable given that he has not taken a set off Roger Federer in six matches.
As with the atmosphere at Chaoyang itself, though, it is clear who the Chinese are seeking to emulate, and in four more years the very least they will be expecting to do is take a set off the US.
The world No164 will be grateful for the day's interlude, perhaps, but will do well to take a set off a two-slam winner 162 places above him in the rankings, who has corrected a minor dip.
Maureen Drake, a Canadian player known only to the most diligent of tennis buffs, actually captured a set off Venus in the third round but was punished for her impertinence by being allowed just three more games.
