WIMBLEDON/WASHINGTON, June 29, 2026 (by Michael Dickens)
When David Goffin lost his Wimbledon Championships men’s qualifying singles first-round match to 229th-ranked Andrea Guerrieri of Italy, 3-6, 7-5, 6-2, last Monday in Roehampton, England, it marked the end of an era for the 35-year-old two-time Wimbledon quarterfinalist from Belgium. His chance of becoming one of 16 men to qualify for the main draw had come to an end.
Those who were fortunate enough to see Goffin’s Wimbledon farewell on Court 13 had the privilege of seeing one of the sport’s purest and magnificent ball-strikers at work. Although Goffin came out on the losing end of his two-hour, 13-minute match, he handled himself in a complete and professional manner on grass for the final time and finished with eight aces and 31 overall winners.
Despite the injuries and setbacks that have marred the later years of Goffin’s career and seen the former World No. 7 – the highest-ranked Belgian men’s tennis player of all time – drop to No. 240 in the ATP Tour rankings, he’s been a consistent presence on the men’s tour for more than a decade.
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The right-hander with the two-fisted backhand, born in Rocourt, Belgium, and fluent in English, French and Dutch, announced earlier this season that 2026 would be his last year on the ATP Tour. He will leave the professional game with more than $19 million in career earnings after turning pro in 2009.
“Some decisions stay with you for a long time. I’ve given everything for this sport, and tennis has given me more than I could ever have imagined,” said Goffin in a video statement last March in announcing his decision to retire. “The matches, the battles, the wins, the losses. The emotions. The people who were there through all of it. And that’s why this has been one of the hardest decisions of my life.”
While the 5-foot-11-inch, 154-pound Goffin didn’t get to go out on a bigger stage in the main draw at the All England Club, the longtime site of the Wimbledon Championships – and, instead, lost his opening match in qualifying at the Bank of England Sports Club with little fanfare – in the eyes of many, it spoke to his character and passion for the game of tennis.
Unlike a few weeks ago when he was cheered on by a capacity crowd on Court Suzanne-Lenglen at Roland-Garros, after losing in the second round of qualifying to Great Britain’s Toby Samuel, at Roehampton – located about three miles from the All England Club – there were maybe a few hundred observers at most.
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After Goffin’s final Wimbledon match appearance, he spent some time reflecting on the positives – the happy moments – of his career and what Wimbledon has meant to him with Abigail Johnson of BBC Sport.
“It was a really emotional and special day,” Goffin said. “Of course, it was my last match at Wimbledon on grass. It means a lot. It was a lot of good memories, of course, at Wimbledon. Two-times quarterfinalist, a lot of good matches. It was always a surface I was really happy to play on. It was probably the best courts we could play on.
“Right now, a lot of matches are coming in my mind. It’s only the positives that I can remember from those courts, those matches, the level I could have on that surface. At the end, I’m really happy.”
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Before this year, Goffin made 11 appearances in the Wimbledon main draw – a remarkable accomplishment for any player – and it spoke to his love of the sport. This year, he was willing to come out and compete in the qualifying draw in hopes of putting together three straight wins to be one of the lucky 16 who would receive a berth in the 128-player main draw.
“At the beginning of the season, after a few tournaments, I felt that physically it would be tough for me to give my best. Mentally, also to feel I was not feeling 100 percent, it would be really tough for me to compete with those guys who are really good in every tournament – big tournaments – and also Challengers, the level is really high to stay with them,” Goffin explained. “I had the feeling it was the right moment for me to retire. Even if it was the qualification here at Wimbledon, I wanted to just say goodbye and to play one more time in those tournaments I dream so many times to play, to win, since I was really young. So, it was important for me to play one more time on those beautiful courts.”
Looking back, Goffin has won six ATP Tour titles on all three surfaces – clay, grass, hard courts – and compiled a 357-275 win-loss record playing on the sport’s biggest stages. His most recent title was in 2022 at Marrakech. He spoke about what he thought a younger version of himself would think of present-day Goffin, who is embarking on the twilight days of his career. Goffin said: “I would tell him that everything would be OK and to just enjoy [the experience]. The journey has been nice. He doesn’t have to be worried about the next 20 years. It was a very nice journey. I appreciate all the time I’ve spent on the court – the wins and the losses as well. It was an amazing journey. I’m thankful for that.”
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Around the All England Club
During his pre-tournament news conference on Saturday, 24-time major champion Novak Djokovic was asked if he had spoken to Serena Williams, the winner of 23 Grand Slam singles titles in her storied career, who is making a comeback during this year’s Wimbledon at age 44.
“First and foremost, what she’s doing is inspirational and it’s epic,” the 39-year-old Djokovic said of his peer, delivering a simple message. “That’s what I told her. I always admired her career, her journey, her story. Of course, Venus’, as well.
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“For her to come back after years of being absent from the tour, two children later, and to give so much effort to, not just for her own satisfaction or coming back on the tour, but also to give all of us a pleasure of seeing her back on the court – in singles as well as doubles – is remarkable.
“I told her that whatever happens, what she’s doing is truly inspirational for me personally, I’m sure for millions around the world.
“I see her in the gym more than I have, I think, seen her when she was at her prime. It tells me that she really wants this to work out the best way possible. It’s admirable, honestly, the effort she’s putting in. Of course, all eyes are on her, her comeback. I just hope that she will enjoy because she really deserves.
“She created something historical, legendary in her career. She deserves every applause she’s going to get.”
Monday’s Wimbledon order of play
Tuesday’s Wimbledon order of play
By the numbers
There are a total of 12 British men in the singles draw. No. 26 seed Cameron Norrie, No. 160 Jack Draper and No. 106 Jan Choinski were the only ones who gained direct entry into the singles draw, while three players qualified for the main draw and six were awarded wild cards.
“Quotable …”
“Feeling good, healthy, which is important. I think I would like to have a few more matches under my belt. I think, as always, I’m always coming in this tournament with being a little bit of the underdog. I like that. But most importantly, feeling good, feeling the ball well, and healthy.”
– British No. 1 Cameron Norrie, ranked No. 29, during his pre-tournament news conference, describing his health and mindset going into this year’s Championships.
“Just keep playing on it. Trial and error, just learning. I definitely think I’ve been practicing so far the best I’ve had since playing Wimbledon. Does that mean I’m going to play great on Monday? I don’t know, I hope so. I think just really focusing on the footwork, the game style, and really trying to find my grass identity.”
– Women’s No. 7 seed Coco Gauff of the United States, during her pre-tournament news conference, on how she hopes to make playing on grass a natural surface for her.
