ATP Tour

Goffin keeps career alive with escape win in Brussels: 'Tomorrow we do it again'

David Goffin is making the most of his final week on the ATP Tour.

The Belgian, who is set to retire this week at the BNP Paribas Fortis European Open, kept his cool under pressure for a 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 first-round victory against Swiss lucky loser Remy Bertola. Goffin trailed 0-3 in the third set but clinched six of the final seven games to advance.

"I don't know what to say, it was one of the toughest moments and nicest moments when I came on the court," Goffin said. "The first few games were really tough for me with the nerves. Then I started to serve well. Most important is the support that the crowd gave me in the whole match... It is the best feeling we can have. I'm really happy that tomorrow we do it again."

Buoyed by a raucous home crowd, the Belgian crucially saved nine of the 11 break points he faced, according to Infosys ATP Stats, to seal his victory in two hours and seven minutes. With the triumph, the former World No. 7 earned his first tour-level win since defeating then-World No. 6 Ben Shelton in the second round at the Rolex Shanghai Masters last year. Goffin will next face Alex Michelsen for a place in the quarter-finals in Brussels.

Elsewhere, third seed Francisco Cerundolo defeated Martin Damm 6-4, 7-6(4) to become the first Argentine quarter-finalist in Brussels since Diego Schwartzman in 2021. The 28-year-old will face French qualifier Clement Chidekh for a place in the semi-finals at the ATP 250 event.

Earlier in the day, Chidekh, who upset seventh seed Botic van de Zandschulp in the first round, advanced to his first tour-level quarter-final with a 7-6(4), 6-2 victory against Jacob Fearnley.

Tallon Griekspoor and Jan-Lennard Struff also advanced on Wednesday in Brussels. Griekspoor defeated eighth seed Mariano Navone 7-6(4), 7-5 in one hour and 48 minutes to advance to his 25th tour-level quarter-final of the season. With the victory, the 30-year-old became the first Dutch quarter-finalist in tournament history. Struff eased past home hope Gauthier Onclin 6-4, 6-2.