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‘I’ll Have to Cancel the Party’: David Goffin’s Last Dance Refuses to End in Brussels

David Goffin, playing the final tournament of his career at home in Brussels and ranked No. 657, came back from 0-3 down in the deciding set to win his first tour match of 2026.

Published

5 hours ago

October 22, 2026

Royal Jones

David Goffin playing at the European Open in Brussels

The retirement party will have to wait. David Goffin, playing the final tournament of his career in front of his home crowd in Brussels, refused to say goodbye on Wednesday, rallying from the brink to beat Swiss lucky loser Remy Bertola 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 in the first round of the European Open.

The 35-year-old wild card lost the first set, then trailed 0-3 in the decider and stood a point away from going down a double break. Instead he won six of the last seven games, broke Bertola at 4-4 and sealed the match with a forehand winner before dropping to his knees on the blue court. It was his first tour-level win of 2026, earned in two hours and seven minutes.

‘It was both the most beautiful and the toughest entrance onto the court I’ve ever experienced,’ Goffin said. ‘When I got close to the win, the pressure made me play a bit poorly — but when I let go of the pressure, it unlocked something.’ Then, smiling: ‘I’m going to have to cancel the party I had booked.’

Goffin announced in March that 2026 would be his final season, and Brussels — where organizers are billing the week as his ‘Last Dance’ — is his last stop. His ranking has fallen to No. 657, he had lost his first four tour matches of the year, and he needed a wild card just to get in. He plays fifth seed Alex Michelsen in the second round on Thursday.

Whatever happens next, he remains the most successful Belgian man of the Open Era: the first Belgian man to reach the top 10, peaking at No. 7 in 2017, the year he beat Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer at the ATP Finals before losing the title match to Grigor Dimitrov. He won six tour titles, reached four Grand Slam quarterfinals and two Davis Cup finals, and owns 21 career wins over top-10 players.

Photo credit: IMAGO/Photo News

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We Speak Sports

Angel Reese’s Historic Night Powers Dream Past Valkyries 97-71 for 2-1 Finals Lead

Angel Reese had 21 points and 12 rebounds to become the first player in WNBA history with a double-double in each of her first three Finals games, and the Atlanta Dream routed the Golden State Valkyries 97-71 in Game 3 to take a 2-1 lead in the WNBA Finals.

Published

2 hours ago

October 22, 2026

Royal Jones

Angel Reese high-fives Jordin Canada during WNBA Finals Game 3

The Atlanta Dream turned their first home game of the WNBA Finals into a statement. Behind another commanding performance from Angel Reese, Atlanta blew out the Golden State Valkyries 97-71 on Wednesday night in front of a sold-out crowd of 17,099 at State Farm Arena, taking a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven series and setting a franchise record for points in a Finals game.

Watch the official Game 3 highlights:

Atlanta’s defense set the tone from the opening tip. The Dream held Golden State scoreless for the first five minutes, and the Valkyries did not make a field goal until Aminata Gueye’s hook shot with 4:38 left in the first quarter. Atlanta led 23-15 after one and 46-40 at halftime.

Golden State made its push early in the third quarter, tying the game at 49. Reese answered personally, fueling an 8-0 run and capping it with a coast-to-coast driving layup. After the Valkyries trimmed the margin to 59-55, the Dream closed the quarter by scoring 12 of the final 14 points to carry a 71-57 lead into the fourth, then outscored Golden State 26-14 the rest of the way. Atlanta has now outscored Golden State 63-35 in third quarters across the series.

Angel Reese celebrates with Rhyne Howard during Game 3 of the WNBA Finals at State Farm Arena. (AP Photo)

Reese finished with 21 points on 7-of-12 shooting, 12 rebounds, three assists and three steals. She is the first player in WNBA history to record a double-double in each of her first three Finals games, the youngest player ever with three straight double-doubles in the Finals, and she joined A’ja Wilson as the only players to post 20 points and 10 rebounds in consecutive Finals games. She also went 2-for-2 from three-point range; Atlanta is 14-0 this season when Reese makes a three.

“Time to take over. Do whatever it takes to win,” Reese said. “Everybody was just playing together. It’s fun when you win and you play with a great group. So it makes my job super easy.”

Rhyne Howard added 16 points and five steals, becoming the first player in league history with five steals in consecutive Finals games. Naz Hillmon scored 15, Isobel Borlase added 12 off the bench, and Jordin Canada finished with 10 points and eight assists. Atlanta shot 49.3 percent from the field, hit nine three-pointers and owned the paint, 44-20.

Gabby Williams led Golden State with 15 points, Tiffany Hayes scored 14, and Janelle Salaün and Cecilia Zandalasini added 13 apiece. But the Valkyries shot just 34.8 percent and committed 17 turnovers, which Atlanta converted into 22 points. “Sometimes, promises aren’t kept,” Golden State coach Natalie Nakase said.

Game 4 is Saturday, October 24 at 1 p.m. ET at State Farm Arena, televised on NBC and streaming on Peacock. Atlanta, playing in its first Finals since 2013, is now two wins away from the first championship in franchise history.