In a sport as competitive as tennis, a simple act of kindness at the Monte Carlo Masters was enough to steal the show. And when it came from World No. 1, Carlos Alcaraz, who is known for his sportsmanship, it made it all the more noteworthy.
The Spaniard paid a heartwarming tribute to the retiring David Goffin, who exited the Monte Carlo Masters for the final time. He was knocked out after suffering a 3–6, 7–6, 6–7 defeat to Emilio Nava in the second round of qualifying. Following the match’s conclusion, the massive crowd at Court des Princes gave Goffin a standing ovation. Carlos Alcaraz, who was in the stands, also honored the Belgian with a round of applause.
The two have already faced each other in a second-round match at the Miami Open in 2025, and it was Goffin who emerged victorious with 5-7, 6-4, 6-3. He led by a break in each of the three sets and secured the win on his second match point, when a sliding Alcaraz couldn’t retrieve a forehand that Goffin ripped into the corner. But before the match, Goffin had nothing but praise for the young star.
“He has improved in all aspects of his game. I see that his serve has improved a lot. He made some technical changes, adjusted his backhand a bit, and changed his serve a bit. Physically, he has improved a lot. He is stronger than the last time I played against him. He is a better player, no doubt, and keeps getting better. He has a great team around him, so they are doing everything they can to make him a better player,” he remarked.
From one talent to another.
World No. 1 @carlosalcaraz stops by to pay respect to David Goffin, who bows out of the #RolexMonteCarloMasters for the final time! pic.twitter.com/QFv88Q5VxY
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) April 5, 2026
Known for being respectful both on and off the court, it wasn’t surprising to see Alcaraz make such a heartfelt gesture for Goffin. The 22-year-old had been hailed by Holger Rune earlier in January for his disciplined nature.
“He makes incredible shots here and there, but it’s not what wins him the matches. I think what wins him the matches is, for sure, his tennis, but he has an amazing attitude on the court. His attitude, his energy, you feel it. You feel the Vamos!” Rune had said on The Served Podcast.
“I know that he’s disciplined and been taught to behave like this, because when he was a junior, he was sometimes all over the place, many juniors were, and I was also sometimes. But his attitude is very intimidating, in a good way, in a respectful way. He’s always on, you can see in his eyes,” he added.
Coming back, Goffin had begun his campaign in the Monte Carlo Masters on a high and had stunned the second seed of the tournament, Ignacio Buse, in the opening round of qualifiers. After losing the first set 2-6, the 35-year-old went on to complete a phenomenal comeback and won the next two sets 6-3, 6-3. While this result may have been a major confidence booster for Goffin, he failed to make a deep run in the competition and fell at the second hurdle.
However, Goffin was pretty satisfied with his performance against Nava.
“I just wanted to give everything for that match. My last tournament here in Monaco, a tournament that I love, so I just had to give everything, even if from the start it was tough. I just had to fight, find some solutions, and try to win more matches. But it was not the case today. Yesterday was great to beat a great player, and today was also a great one, but in the end, it was tough. It was a dramatic match, but it was fun,” Goffin told reporters after the match.
The Belgian had shocked the tennis world last month by announcing that he would retire after the end of the ongoing season. He explained the reason behind the sudden move by sharing a video on Instagram.
David Goffin set to bring down the curtain on 17-year-long career
“Some decisions stay with you for a long time. I’ve given everything for this sport, and tennis has given me more than I could ever have imagined. The matches, the battles, the wins, the losses. The emotions. The people who were there through all of it. And that’s why this has been one of the hardest decisions of my life,” Goffin had said in the video.
After those words, the screen turned black, and a message appeared that confirmed the news.
“This will be my last season,” it read.
Having turned pro back in 2009, Goffin has so far won six ATP titles and has reached the final of nine others. The biggest moment of his career arguably came at the 2017 ATP Finals, where he defeated Rafael Nadal and Dominic Thiem in the group stage before knocking out Roger Federer in the semifinals. This unbelievable run had seen him reach his career-high ranking of World No. 7.
However, Goffin’s rank has plummeted in recent years, and he currently sits at No. 179. The veteran has played three Challenger and two Masters events so far this season, but has yet to register a main draw win. He also has an abysmal record of 1-5 this season.
Will Goffin be able to rediscover his form in the upcoming ATP tournaments, or will his farewell year turn into a major disappointment? Let us know what you think in the comments!
