Australian Open: Retiring veteran Benneteau dumps Goffin out

Melbourne, January 18: David Goffin became the highest seed in the men's draw to be knocked out of the Australian Open when veteran Julien Benneteau pulled off a second-round shock on Thursday (January 18).

Goffin was a quarter-finalist at Melbourne Park last year, but the seventh seed made an early exit 12 months later after going down 1-6 7-6 (7-5) 6-1 7-6 (7-4) to the Frenchman, who will retire this year.

Benneteau defeated the Belgian at the 2017 Paris Masters and repeated the dose on Show Court 2, matching his best run at the first major of the year in his final appearance at Melbourne Park.

Goffin, an ATP Finals runner-up last November, did not lose a single point on serve in the first set, breaking three times in an ominous start.

Evergreen 36-year-old Benneteau found his feet, though, the world number 59 failing to serve out the set at 6-5 up, but putting that behind him to level the match in the tie-break.

Benneteau bossed the third set, but threw in two double faults when serving for the match at 5-4 in the fourth, yet managed to hold it together in the breaker to close it out.

Source: OPTA