Liam Broady has vowed to return to Wimbledon a better player in 12 months time after his tournament came to an end in straight sets against Belgium’s David Goffin.
After the heroics of day one at SW 19 there was no courageous comeback for Broady who put up a stern fight in the first set but capitulated soon after losing 7-6 (7-3) 6-1 6-1.
Against Marinko Matosevic the Brit found a second wind after falling two sets behind but 15th-seed Goffin was too clinical to make the same mistakes as his Australian counterpart.
However, the Stockport man refused to get down about his All England exit and instead is determined to refocus his attentions to doubles action tomorrow.
He said: “I have loved every minute of the experience. The crowd have made it for me – it really drives me on.
“Beating Matosevic made me feel I had direction again. It’s the light at the end of the tunnel, I think my tennis has come on it’s just a shame it ended like it did.
“I feel there’s progression there over the last six months. I want to go even further next year and this will drive me.”
“I have doubles tomorrow so I’ll go home, be sad about this for a night, then go again.”
The 21-year-old showed glimpses of the fight he displayed on Monday in the first set as he saved his serve twice before eventually falling short on the tie break.
But the resistance soon faded and, as the heat intensified, so did the pressure exerted by Goffin as the Belgian found his rhythm on the Broady serve.
That led to Broady failing to hold three times in a 20-minute period in the second before he was easily beaten in the third.
But Broady says he will takes the positives from the match after asking more than a few questions of Goffin in the opening set.
“He is a very good player, it was nip and tuck in the first set – the longer the match went on the more fatigued I became,” he added.
“He didn’t waver; he was just so solid for the whole match. He knew when to apply pressure and I tried to fight until the end but against these guys they keep coming at you.
“I have absolutely loved the limelight. I felt at home against David – he played with such an intensity. Before the match got away from me I thought I played well.”
Picture courtesy of Wimbledon via YouTube, with thanks
