Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Before this year's French Open, Toby Samuel had only won one Grand Slam qualifying match - at Wimbledon in 2023
ByHarry PooleBBC Sport journalist- Published35 minutes ago
Britain's Toby Samuel is one win away from a first Grand Slam singles appearance after beating former world number seven David Goffin in French Open qualifying to set up the most lucrative match of his career.
The 23-year-old was ranked outside the world's top 1,300 12 months ago but has risen to a career-high 159th after winning four titles on the ATP Challenger Tour - the second tier of men's professional tennis.
On Wednesday, he produced a memorable comeback to beat Goffin 5-7 6-3 6-3 in what was the Belgian veteran's final appearance at Roland Garros.
Samuel will now face Peru's Gonzalo Bueno for a place in the French Open main draw.
Samuel has pocketed 57,000 euros (£49,300) by claiming the first two qualifying wins of his career at an overseas Grand Slam - boosting his total career prize money of £118,300 by 42%.
Victory in his final qualifying match is worth an additional 48,000 euros (£41,500), while it would also guarantee minimum earnings of 87,000 euros (£75,200) in the main draw first round.
"First of all, it was an honour to play against David in his last Roland Garros," Samuel told the crowd on Suzanne Lenglen, the tournament's second biggest arena.
"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."
Samuel missed much of the 2024 season with injury and said it was not until midway through 2025 that he felt healthy again.
He has never contested a match on the ATP Tour but is now one win away from a first appearance on one of the sport's biggest stages.
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There were defeats for Jay Clarke and Harriet Dart in the second round of qualifying in Paris, while British number three Jan Choinski withdrew before his match against France's Pierre-Hugues Herbert.
Clarke lost 6-4 6-3 to 382nd-ranked Frenchman Thomas Faurel before Dart was beaten 6-1 6-4 by Spain's world number 159 Leyre Romero Gormaz.
Former world number four Bianca Andreescu and two-time major finalist Karolina Pliskova were also beaten in qualifying.
Canada's Andreescu, the 2019 US Open champion, fell to a 6-7 (2-7) 6-4 6-4 defeat against Slovakia's Viktoria Hruncakova.
Czech 34-year-old Pliskova, runner-up at Wimbledon in 2021 and the 2016 US Open, lost 6-3 6-2 against Spain's Marina Bassols Ribera.
But former US Open champion and 2018 Roland-Garros runner-up Sloane Stephens progressed to the final qualifying round with a 6-4 6-1 win against Italy's Lisa Pigato.
Players must win three matches in qualifying to reach the main draw in Paris, which begins on Sunday.
French Open
Sunday, 24 May - Sunday, 7 June
Live text commentaries of key matches on the BBC Sport website and app, along with daily commentary live from Court Philippe-Chatrier across 5 Live Sport, BBC Sounds and the BBC Sport website and app
