Former world No. 7 David Goffin brought the curtain down on his 18-year professional career at the European Open in Brussels, bowing out in the second round of the ATP 250 hard-court tournament against 22-year-old American Alex Michelsen. Playing his 634th career match on the main circuit, David Goffin fell 6-3, 6-4 in 1 hour and 27 minutes at the Palais 12 of Brussels Expo, concluding a career marked by 358 wins and 276 losses for a 56.5% success rate at an event offering 723,435 euros in prize money.

Pal Palais 12 Farewell Against Alex Michelsen

Entering the match ranked 657th in the world, Goffin faced a formidable test in the fifth-seeded Michelsen, currently ranked 37th globally and recently a quarterfinalist at the US Open under the guidance of Belgian coach Kristof Vliegen, as detailed by the sources. Michelsen established control by securing the opening break in the sixth game of the first set to move ahead 4-2. Though Goffin attempted a late surge in the second set—breaking back to trail 5-4 in a loud environment created by home supporters and holding two break points at 15-40—the American closed out the victory. The previous day, Goffin had secured his place in the second round by defeating Swiss player Rémy Bertola (ranked 219th) 3-6, 6-3, 6-4, noting afterwards that he had the wobbles at the start before finding his rhythm and aggressive play.

Emotions and Relief After Eighteen Years on Tour

Reflecting on his departure from the sport, Goffin shared a sense of profound peace with RTBF following his exit. “I am relieved, at peace with myself and very happy with what I experienced this week in Brussels,” Goffin told RTBF. “The public responded and I experienced wonderful emotions. I was tense before starting the week because I really wanted to show some great tennis one last time.” Looking back at nearly two decades of competition, the Liège native noted that time passed quickly while highlighting the human connections formed along the way. “The word that comes up the most is: emotions. But also the encounters and the moments shared,” he added to RTBF, noting his eagerness to step away from daily training routines and pivot toward personal challenges like running a marathon.

A Changing Guard and New Belgian Figures

As Goffin exits the professional stage, fellow Belgian player Raphaël Collignon is stepping into the spotlight as a prominent figure in French-speaking tennis. “The people no longer come just because there is a tournament, they also travel to see me,” Collignon told DHnet and L’Avenir, discussing his growing status as an ambassador and role model for young players coming through the national federation structure. Collignon recounted feeling like the king of the room during a moment of heightened attention, admitting it was almost a bit too much and that security had to form a chain to keep people back before he stayed on his chair to watch the match.

Frequently Asked Questions About David Goffin’s Retirement

What was the final score of David Goffin’s last singles match? David Goffin lost his second-round match at the European Open against Alex Michelsen by a score of 6-3, 6-4 on an indoor hard court in Brussels.

What are David Goffin’s career match statistics? The sources note that Goffin finished his career on the main ATP circuit with 358 victories and 276 defeats across 634 total matches, representing a 56.5% win rate and a career-high ranking of world No. 7.

Did David Goffin finish playing competitive tennis immediately after his singles loss? No, the sources confirmed that Goffin remained active at the European Open, returning to the Palais 12 courts later in the evening alongside Raphaël Collignon for the quarterfinals of the tournament’s doubles draw.