By Randy Walker
@TennisPublisher
The public address announcer at the Lexus Eastbourne Open enthusiastically exclaimed during the champions trophy part of the post-match ceremony that Zizou Bergs was the first Belgium player to ever win an ATP singles title on grass.
That is just the cherry on top of a summer sundae for the 27-year old Belgian whose 3-6, 6-1, 6-4 final-round win over Ugo Humbert gave him his first career ATP singles title.
Belgium is about the size of Maryland and has a population of about 12 million but has only had six other players earn ATP singles titles – except non on grass before Bergs.
| Player | ATP singles titles | Years of titles | Career note |
| David Goffin | 6 | 2014–2022 | Belgium’s greatest men’s singles player; reached No. 7 in the ATP rankings and played the 2017 ATP Finals championship match. |
| Xavier Malisse | 3 | 2005–2007 | Powerful shot-maker; reached a career-high No. 19 and was Belgium’s top male player before Goffin’s rise. |
| Olivier Rochus | 2 | 2000, 2006 | The 5’6″ Belgian reached No. 24 in the world and won two ATP singles titles. |
| Steve Darcis | 2 | 2007, 2014 | Won his first ATP title in Amersfoort in 2007 and was famous for his 2013 Wimbledon first-round upset of Rafael Nadal. |
| Kristof Vliegen | 1 | 2006 | Reached a career-high No. 30 and captured one ATP singles title. |
| Kimmer Coppejans | 1 | 2015 | Won his only ATP title at Casablanca in 2015. |
The women from Belgum have fared better on grass, of course led by Justin Henin and Kim Clijsters.
| Player | Grass-court WTA singles titles | Events won | Notes |
| Justine Henin | 3 | Eastbourne International (2006, 2007), Rosmalen Grass Court Championships (2001) | Henin won 43 WTA singles titles overall and reached two Wimbledon finals (2001, 2006). |
| Kim Clijsters | 2 | Wimbledon Championships (2003 doubles, not singles), and singles titles at Eastbourne (2005, 2006) | Clijsters won 41 WTA singles titles overall and was a former world No. 1. |
| Yanina Wickmayer | 1 | Libéma Open (2009) | Won three WTA singles titles overall and reached the 2009 US Open semifinals. |
The Eastbourne final was a “third time is a charm” result for the 27-year-old world No. 47.
He reached his first ATP final in Auckland in 2025 and another final at ’s-Hertogenbosch, but both opportunities ended without a trophy.
