Two years ago, Raphaël Collignon was ranked outside the world's top 200. Last Sunday in Gstaad, the 24-year-old Belgian lifted his first ATP trophy by defeating Stefanos Tsitsipas in the final. Between those two moments lies a journey as unlikely as his birthplace.
Born in Rochester, Minnesota, where his father worked in the medical field, Collignon grew up between two continents before settling in Liège, Belgium. It is there that he developed his game: powerful tennis built on a formidable serve (he stands 6'3") and a two-handed backhand capable of turning rallies on their head.
The turning point in his career has a name: Steve Darcis. The former world number 38 and Belgian Davis Cup hero took over Collignon's coaching and instilled a critical quality, fighting spirit. That philosophy materialized spectacularly in the Gstaad semifinal, where the Liège native saved a match point before turning the match around.
The warning signs of this breakthrough were already visible. At the 2025 US Open, he stunned Casper Ruud, then ranked 12th, in the second round. Then at Roland Garros this year, he claimed the biggest scalp of his career by ousting Ben Shelton, the world number 5, in straight sets. Two wins over top-10 players at Grand Slams: the kind of results that turn a prospect into a certainty.
Now ranked a career-high 37th, Collignon is Belgium's third-ranked ATP player behind David Goffin. His technical profile, combining serving power with baseline versatility, opens up possibilities on all surfaces. The American hard-court season starting next week with the DC Open in Washington will provide the next test of his rise.
At 24, the Belgian born in Minnesota has found his path. And if Gstaad is just the beginning, the ATP Tour would do well to remember his name.
