Goffin Up & Running In Rotterdam

Rotterdam has never been a happy hunting ground for David Goffin. But the in-form Belgian took the first step to turning that around on Wednesday when he defeated Andrey Kuznetsov 6-3, 6-2 to score his first win in four appearances at the ABN Amro World Tennis Tournament.

It was stark contrast to his debut at this ATP World Tour 500 tournament four years ago, when he went down to Jarkko Nieminen without winning a single game. First round defeats followed in 2015 (l. to Baghdatis) and 2016 (l. to Muller).

Watch full match replays at Tennis TV

“I am feeling good,” said Goffin, whose runner-up finish at the Garanti Koza Sofia Open last week (l. to Dimitrov) came on the heels of a quarter-final showing at the Australian Open (l. to Dimitrov). “I am playing really well and pleased with the victory, especially against Andrey – a good indoor player. He can play fast, so it was not an easy first round. I served well when I needed to and I am happy to win my first match in Rotterdam. I had a great week in Sofia and I’ve come here with a lot of confidence.

“I remember the first time I played in Rotterdam and I didn’t win any games against Jarkko Nieminen. The tournament isn’t far from Belgium and I have support here.”

Qualifier Pierre-Hugues Herbert is the first player through to the quarter-finals after defeating Evgeny Donskoy 6-2, 7-6(4). The Frenchman could face second seed Dominic Thiem in what will be his first tour-level quarter-final since reaching the Winston-Salem Open final in 2015 (l. to Anderson). Thiem plays his first-round match against Alexander Zverev on Wednesday evening.