Goffin hopes for Wimbledon comeback with Atlanta debut

David Goffin suffered one of the biggest failures of the year at Wimbledon.

Goffin became a lucky loser in the main draw when two-time champion Andy Murray withdrew, but in hindsight the 33-year-old probably regrets what seemed like a stroke of luck at the time. With a second chance in his first-round match at the All-England Club, Goffin led 5-0 with Tomas Machac in the fifth set. Amazingly, the Belgian could not finish the match and eventually lost 3-6, 3-6, 6-4, 6-1, 7-6(10-5).

The veteran is now trying to pick up the pieces of that disaster and make a run on the American hard courts. He has made a good start to that effort after beating Denis Shapovalov 6-4, 3-6, 6-1 in the first round of the Atlanta Open on Monday afternoon.

Goffin admitted the victory was important, but not because of events in the recent past.

“Not because it was something that happened at Wimbledon,” the former world No. 7 explained. “You always need a win. It’s more that it’s the start of the American tournaments on hard courts. I haven’t played on hard courts for a couple of months; it was the clay and grass court season. It’s always nice to start the American tournaments with a win, especially against Shapo, who is a very tough opponent and can play very well on that kind of surface.”

Shapovalov, who has endured his own struggles in 2024, showed signs of life by winning the second set. However, the flashier but more erratic Canadian was no match for his opponent’s rock-solid consistency in the deciding set.

“I am very happy to have won,” Goffin concluded. “The consistency at the end, especially in the third set after losing the second, was the key.

“I don’t like the heat that much, but it’s fine. The conditions are great for my game… when I’m ready to fight with the heat. It’s tough when the sun is out. It’s very humid. But I’m here to fight, to find my game, to get as far as I can in the draw. It’s my first time in Atlanta. I’m happy to be here, to discover this tournament and to get my first win today. Hopefully I can get a second win in the next round.”