Toby Samuel Beats David Goffin to Reach French Open Final Qualifying
toby samuel moved one win from his first Grand Slam singles main draw after beating former world number seven David Goffin 5-7 6-3 6-3 in French Open qualifying. The 23-year-old British player came from a set down and will now face Gonzalo Bueno for a place in Roland Garros’ main draw.
Toby Samuel on Suzanne Lenglen
Samuel had only won one Grand Slam qualifying match before this year’s French Open, so this result pushed him into the final round of qualifying with a chance he had not previously reached. He told the crowd on Suzanne Lenglen that, “First of all, it was an honour to play against David in his last Roland Garros.”
He added: “You're an inspiration to all tennis players out there, it was amazing sharing the court with you. It was the craziest atmosphere I've ever been a part of.” That came after he recovered from losing the first set and closed out the match in three sets.
Goffin and the ranking rise
The win also marked another step in a rapid climb. Samuel was ranked outside the world's top 1,300 12 months ago, and he has since risen to a career-high 159th after winning four titles on the ATP Challenger Tour.
That rise has already come with a financial swing. Samuel and Felix Gill have each pocketed 57,000 euros by claiming the first two qualifying wins of their careers at an overseas Grand Slam, and Samuel’s career earnings stood at £118,300 before this run. The qualifying surge has boosted those earnings by 42%.
Bueno awaits
What comes next is straightforward: beat Gonzalo Bueno and Samuel reaches the main draw, where first-round participation guarantees minimum earnings of 87,000 euros. Victory in the final qualifying match is worth an additional 48,000 euros, a jump that makes this match the biggest one of his career so far.
Gill also stayed alive on the other side of the draw, edging Alex Molcan 2-6 7-5 7-6 (11-9) and setting up a meeting with 147th-ranked Frenchman Kyrian Jacquet. Neither Samuel nor Gill has ever contested a match on the ATP Tour, which leaves both men one win from a very different level of the sport.
