2023-04-30 06:10:03
David Goffin, who will blow his… 33 years next December, cannot decently ask himself the question of his retirement from sport. Fifteen years of presence on the professional ATP circuit, it is visibly starting to weigh. Physically because the glitches accumulate forcing him to stops, periods of care and upgrading. Mentally then because, if tennis speaking the Belgian has never had to be ashamed of his game, his ability to control his emotions and to take an additional step has always been his weak point. To the point of having been nicknamed “Monsieur Net Niet” otherwise the one who has the means to win but who systematically misses the last step.
In 2017, he reached the 7th place in the world at the ATP.
We will never take away his career and in particular this 7th place in the world (on November 20 exactly) during a great 2017 season punctuated by a final at the Masters (defeat against Dimitrov). Nevertheless, today, the best Belgian player of all time inspires more piety than admiration. Disappeared from the radars of the top 20, he initially slipped out of the top 50. Worse, eliminated this week during the first round of the Madrid tournament, he will come out of… the top 100 in the next ranking. A real descent into hell for a player who has known the heights.
At almost 33 years old, he will have to ask the question of “stop or again”. Only he knows if he still has the desire, the rage and the mentality to tear himself away, work, do violence to himself and (try to) return to an acceptable competitive level. The examples of “old” Nadal, Federer (who has retired) and Djokovic are there to make him think that his age is not prohibitive. But the aforementioned trio box in another category. That of exceptional athletes at all levels.
Everyone knows it: the close entourage of a high-level athlete is essential in the development of his career. Is there currently around David Goffin someone who speaks to him openly, someone who dares to ask him the real questions, someone who could guide him for the end of his sports career? We are not convinced.
Without knowing the mental and physical state in which David Goffin is currently immersed and without knowing if he still projects himself at six months or six years, he should not fall into the (a little pathetic) case of the singer who made a hit of the summer in his career and who runs in vain behind the success he never finds…
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