David Goffin secured a straight-sets victory in the first round of French Open qualifying on May 18 and struggled to hold back tears during his post-match interview. The 35-year-old Belgian defeated Tseng Chun-hsin 6-3, 6-1 in 73 minutes at Court Suzanne-Lenglen. The emotional moment came as the crowd gave him a standing ovation and chanted his name.
Goffin, who turned professional in 2009, described the win as deeply meaningful because of his history at the tournament. He reached the fourth round as a lucky loser in 2012 and said the court held special significance for his career start. “In 2012, it was on this court that I really was brought to the wider attention of the public,” he told the crowd. “Thank you all.”
