John Millman believes he let David Goffin off the hook after losing the opening rubber of the Davis Cup semi-final in Brussels.

The shattered Queenslander matched his opponent shot for shot for large periods of the three-and-a-half hour encounter before the 12th-ranked Belgian prevailed 6-7 (7-4) 6-4 6-3 7-5.

Millman, who was handed his debut by captain Lleyton Hewitt ahead of original selection Thanasi Kokkinakis, looked to have vindicated that decision when he won the first set.

But the match swung in favour of Goffin at 4-4 in the second, when he saved four break points then broke Millman to level things at one set each.

After comfortably taking the third set, Goffin looked set to be cantering to victory when he broke early in the fourth only for 28-year-old to hit back twice on the Belgian’s serve.

However, Goffin, who has now won 14 of his last 15 singles rubbers, held his nerve when it mattered and saw out the match on his second match point, to the relief of the home crowd and the bitter disappointment of the Australian.

“It hurts a lot because I really wanted to do a job for my country, and for the boys” Millman said.

“When you are playing for yourself you take it pretty hard, but when your’e playing for your country you take it even harder.

“Clay court tennis is a game of momentum, there’s no easy holds, you may be up a break in a set but you’re one game from getting broken.

“Throughout the match there are little momentum waves, he played some good points and hit some spots on serve.

“It would have been great to take a two sets to love lead. It was tough out there.”

Goffin paid tribute to Millman and said he fully expected a fierce battle despite facing a player ranked 172 places below him.

“Physically there were some really tough points, I was not surprised because I know how well he can play,” Goffin said.

“It was tough and I am happy to have won.”