Retiring Goffin says goodbye to Monte Carlo

David Goffin bid farewell  to Monte Carlo on Sunday as the 35-year-old took a loss in the final round of qualifying to leave the Masters for his final time.

The Belgian who first played the clay classic in 2013, reached the semi-finals in 2017, his best showing here.

Goffin went down to Emilio Nava in his last match in the principality; he will retire at the end of this season, partly due to lower body injuries.

“The second part of last season was not easy because I was top 50 and then I had a foot injury for a few months, and then at the end of the year,” he said,

“It was my knee for a few months as well. I started pretty late this year, so it was not only physically but it was also mentally, 

“(Injuries) had an impact on my mental motivation, and then the ranking dropped a little bit.”

He added: ““You have to ask yourself what you’re ready to do to come back in the top 100, or top 50?”

It’s not easy, because we have to make a lot of effort to come back, and I’m not sure that physically, I’m ready for that.

In  the end I’m happy with my decision, and I feel now that it’s the right moment.”