Wimbledon 2015: Briton Liam Broady defeated by David Goffin

Gofffin won 7-6, 6-1, 6-1, but the world No 15 was made to work hard in the first set before taking a firm grip on the match

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Liam Broady’s singles campaign came to an end with defeat by David Goffin here today but the Briton will take plenty of positives from his first appearance in the main draw of a Grand Slam tournament. Not least of them will be a prize money cheque for £47,000 and progress in the world rankings, with a jump of around 20 places to No 160 the likely reward for the 21-year-old’s victory victory in the first round.

Gofffin won 7-6, 6-1, 6-1, but the world No 15 was made to work hard in the first set before taking a firm grip on the match, which was played in front of a noisy crowd on Court 3 determined to support the underdog. At 5ft 11in tall Goffin is one of the smaller players at the top of the game but what the 24-year-old Belgian lacks in power he more than makes up for with the quality of his game.

Broady, who came back from two sets down to beat Marinko Matosevic in the first round on his Wimbledon debut, gave as good as he got for most of the first set. However, Goffin quickly took control of the tie-break. Having raced into a 5-1 lead, he eventually won it 7-3 with a backhand winner down the line.

From that moment onwards Goffin took charge. Broady, whose sister Naomi was in the crowd, fought hard, saving 14 of the 20 break points he had to defend, but the Belgian always had the upper hand. Goffin served well, hitting eight aces, and made appreciably fewer unforced errors – 19 compared with Broady’s 33.

Broady’s spirit, nevertheless, was typified when he served at 0-5 in the third set. Having saved a match point when Goffin put a forehand long, Broady eventually won a game of five deuces, which at least made his opponent serve out for the victory. Goffin did so, holding his serve to love to secure his win after an hour and 53 minutes.