The European Open and David Goffin, it hasn’t been a happy marriage in recent years. For his first game this year, he debuted on the ATP tour with Gilles Arnaud Bailly.
Bailly had done well on the junior circuit last year and received a wild card. He proved from the start that it was worth it. Uncomplicated, he went straight to Goffin’s serve.
It kept going up and down throughout the game. Ups and downs, a bit like Goffin’s career in recent years. Bailly had to concede many break points on his serve, but his fighting spirit kept him on his feet over and over again. It also allowed him to win a third set.
In that third set he continued to fight until the end, even when there were already more than 3 hours of play on the clock. At 3-3, Bailly only lost the break too many, but by then he had already left his business card. The future of Belgian men’s tennis appears to be in good hands with 17-year-old Limburger.
David Goffin threw flowers to his young compatriot after his match. “I know him a little and I knew he wouldn’t give me any gifts.”
“He is very solid with both the forehand and the backhand. He also moves very well on the pitch. He is also very strong mentally. He kept fighting, he kept coming back.”
“He is already a good player”, concludes Goffin. “He has a bright future ahead”.
“It was a difficult game, but the victory counts”, recalled Goffin also his illness last week: “I had a bit of pain all over the place and I had to cough a lot. I hope it gets better little by little.” In the 2nd round he awaits the Argentine Diego Schwartzman (ATP-19).
Bailly fluctuated between feelings of disappointment and pride at the next press conference: “It was an incredible match, possibly the best of my career so far. It was very close, but this is tennis.”
“I noticed that I’m not up to the serve yet, for example, but I played well in the game.”
He couldn’t have wished for a better debut in ATP: “I’ve been on the pitch for more than 3 hours, but I loved every minute of it. It was a wonderful experience and an honor to play against David. This definitely makes you want more. gives confidence for the future “.
