Dan Evans. Guts.
That’s how he won this. The guts to approach the net time and again. Sometimes he got it wrong and was left exposed, but he kept coming anyway. The guts to persist with drop shots. The guts to unleash his elaborate backhand deep into Tomic’s territory no matter how many break points he was up against. The guts to pull a rain delay at deuce in the most tense game in the match.
It was a scrappy match to begin, breaks everywhere; seven in the first set. Then a second set where the first serve was king, both players looking ready for a tie-break from the moment it begun. When it arrived, Evans was ready for it.
The third, both players had their chances to close it out. Neither could. Evans again was the more resilient. Even with a bit of cramp and a bit of frustration. Maybe fuelled by the partisan crowd, he mastered the tie-break again. When the match point arrived, he didn’t need another.
Evans has well and truly earned his maiden final 16 entry. And on the available evidence of his last fortnight, he’ll be hard to beat when he gets there too. As he said himself in the post-match interview, those $20 sponsor-less white shirts he is getting around in have never looked better. Well played, young man.
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DAN EVANS DEFEATS BERNARD TOMIC IN STRAIGHT SETS 7-5, 7-6, 7-6
Third set tie break: Evans 7-5, 7-6, 7-6 (7-3) Tomic. Evans won it from the net. Of course he did. Both his clutch serves after the mini-break, he pounced then punished his volleys. Serving ahead of three match points, Tomic gives up a backhand into the net on the first. It’s over! Dan Evans to the fourth round for in a Slam for the first time in his career. What a performance. Back to wrap it up in a tic.
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Third set tie break: Evans 7-5, 7-6, 6-6 (4-2) Tomic. Change of ends, Evans has the mini-break after Tomic nets an easy ball. Point before: epic rally, Evans won after being ran miles, with a tremendous crosscourt forehand. Three points from the match. Just needs to hold his serve and he’s home, the Brit.
Third set: Evans 7-5, 7-6, 6-6 Tomic* (*denotes server). To a tie break we go! What a game. Evans had his chances, earning a 30-all ball after lashing a backhand down the line. Two points from match. Ace from Bernie. Deuce. Then two lobs from Evans in response to consecutive game points, one on the backhand, the other the forehand. Legit last chance saloon stuff, the latter. Wow. But Tomic makes a volley at the net to advantage and forces an error. Blimey.
Third set: *Evans 7-5, 7-6, 6-5 Tomic (*denotes server). Well, the rain delay worked. Evans hold from deuce upon their return. Every service game for Evans is a mission now. Nothing is easy. Going back ten minutes, he hit the ball hard to force a Bernie error and 30-30 after the Australian got up in the game. Tomic let go another, called out, but overruled. A bit Evans served followed. Tit for tat, as it has been all set. What a scrap. Again Tomic now serves to stay in the match.
Rain! Of course. Dan Evans, at 5-5 in the third, on his second serve, at deuce... has decided the line is wet. The umpire agrees. They’re off. Said it before, will again: this is absolutely destined to go five sets and end at midnight. So if you have plans tonight, but really fancy sticking with the tennis, cancel them. I have!
Third set: Evans 7-5, 7-6, 5-5 Tomic* (*denotes server). Tomic must sense that Evans is almost spent here. There’s a cramp. There’s a drop shot where there shouldn’t be. This isn’t to question his commitment, the Brit is running as hard as ever. But does he have the gas? Tomic holds to 15. Pressure shifts.
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Third set: *Evans 7-5, 7-6, 5-4 Tomic (*denotes server). What. A. Hold! This Dan Evans, he’s come from nowhere this last fortnight, and that’s maybe his most impressive tennis yet. Tomic had this break sorted, 15-40 after a superb crosscourt winner. But Evans stuck at it. An ace. A gutsy rally where he backed his forehand, opening up the course, smashing the winner. Back to deuce with Tomic nailing a volley of his own - a definite shift in strategy - he had to go again. And he did with a 212kph ace, then a HUGE overhead smash. Wow. Dan Evans, you’re a gutsy dude. Meanwhile: Tomic now serves to keep the match alive!
Third set: Evans 7-5, 7-6, 4-4 Tomic* (*denotes server). Tomic’s easiest hold this set, forcing a poor Evans forehand, then getting an easy point through the big serve. The Australian finished it with an ace, exciting the Fanatics supporters group. A graphic on the TV shows that Tomic has won twice as many points further up the court than in the opening two sets, showing urgency if nothing else.
Third set: *Evans 7-5, 7-6, 4-3 Tomic (*denotes server). He had to win it at deuce, but again Evans holds with a beautiful struck backhand slice winner falling just over the net. He’s a gutsy player, having conceded two points in the game to the very same shot. Between times, he won points at net as he has through the course of the match, despite Bernie scrambling as best he could. If he can find a way to break Tomic here he’ll serve for the match!
Third set: Evans 7-5, 7-6, 3-3 Tomic* (*denotes server). Tomic again to the net to begin the set. This is a new thing for him tonight, but it’s working well. His last three attempts have won him three points - on the bounce. He’s back to his old method next up though: a big ace. He misses a wide backhand to give Evans a chance at 40-30, but makes no mistake putting away a short ball with the forehand. On serve through six games.
Some rain about. The chair umpire getting down for a look, but he’s happy to continue. The roof is being popped on as a precaution, so provided it doesn’t get heavy before it closes over we should be right to go without interruption.
Third set: *Evans 7-5, 7-6, 3-2 Tomic (*denotes server). Tomic’s backhand into the net going after Evans’ second serve at 40-15 gives the Brit another relatively easy hold. Bernie got into the game with a big forehand to make it 0-15. but the Brit bounced back with an ace, then a gorgeous backhand volley form his happy place up at the net, then a huge serve. No worries holding up his end of the bargain at the moment. We remain on serve.
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Third set: Evans 7-5, 7-6, 2-2 Tomic* (*denotes server). Tomic’s turn to hold with ease. Of note though: he came into the net on consecutive occasions to finish it off. Just about the first time we’ve seen him volley at all tonight in that fashion. Worth keeping an eye on that.
Third set: *Evans 7-5, 7-6, 2-1 Tomic (*denotes server). Easy peasy. That’s the hold he needed there Evans, getting the pressure back onto Tomic without losing a point. Includes two aces out wide to finish off the game. The Australian didn’t threaten in any of those points. Not great signs for the home fans. But for all that, I’d be surprised if we still aren’t here in three hours after a five set epic. It just feels that way.
Third set: Evans 7-5, 7-6, 1-1 Tomic* (*denotes server). Evans is run around the court at 30-15 before Tomic executes a lovely drop shot. But good signs for the Brit, staying with Tomic into the rally. We’ve seen tonight that he has the game to win plenty of points from there. Tomic holds to 30, but not after Evans makes a lovely crosscourt forehand winner. In short: he’s keeping the Australian honest every time he steps to the service line.
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Third set: *Evans 7-5, 7-6, 1-0 Tomic (*denotes server). For Evans, he won’t care an awful lot how he strings together these service games. He’s held to open this set with a big serve at 40-30 after losing a couple of points to Tomic’s forehand. Can he break Tomic at the first time of asking in this set as he has the first and second? Tomic has come back from two sets down twice in his career, Tood Woodbridge tells us on the TV, in 2011 at Wimbledon and in 2012 in the first round here at the Australian Open.
DAN EVANS WINS THE SECOND SET! LEADS 7-5, 7-6.
Second set tie break: *Evans 7-5, 7-6 (7-1) Tomic. Five set points is the equation for Evans, and he does it with two after Tomic nets a basic forehand! What a start to Evans, going up two sets now. He had his chances in the second set to finish it at 5-4 serving, and lost his the plot. He then had to see off a couple of Tomic set points two games later. By the time the tie-break arrived, he wasn’t going to miss his opportunity again. That’s the best tennis he has played across the two sets. Wonderful work at the net, where he has Tomic on the hop. Now he’ll have three sets up his sleeve to get this done and into the final 16. Tomic? It’s the hard way, or he’s done.
Second set tie break: Evans 7-5, 6-6 (5-1) Tomic. The converted mini-break, Evans races to 3-0 on the back of three Tomic errors before the Australian lands a wide ace. But the double mini-break comes at 3-1, the long rally ended with the Brit coming to the next the way he has at his best moments tonight, finishing off the volley from close range. Delightful tennis. And again! This time the forehand volley, it is 5-1 at the change of ends!
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Second set: *Evans 7-5, 6-6 Tomic (*denotes server). To a tie break we go! Early in this madcap game, Evans strong serve was no longer. He then mouthed off at the umpire before fronting up for set point at 15-40, looking no chance to stay in it. But maybe that’s the confrontation he needs? Evidence would suggest as much for what happened next. A big serve following, Tomic unable to get it back. One more break point, and it prompts one of the rallies of the game, the two landing a series of slice forehands then backhands deep into the court. Evans approached on two occasions before Tomic forced him back. By the time he got to deuce, the serve was back in groove. He’d done enough. Just.
Second set: Evans 7-5, 5-6 Tomic* (*denotes server). Predictably, Tomic races through his service game as the crowd start going wild. It was always going to happen, wasn’t it? Tomic takes the lead with an ace. All of a sudden Evans is serving to stay in the set.
Second set: *Evans 7-5, 5-5 Tomic (*denotes server). That’s a little capitulation from Evans. Winning two set points, he makes neither, then Tomic breaks him back at the first time of asking, the Brit smashing his forehand way behind the base line. “Umpire! Oi! It’s raining!” That’s Bernie to the chair at the change of ends. Wishful, perhaps. They remain on the court. But Tomic got the start he needed after Evans misses his volley. 0-15. Then Evans won three excellent points - including a classy overhead - to put himself into fantastic shape to finish this set off. But Tomic seemed to sense the shifting pressure, showing patience to wait Evans out. And it paid off. “A sliding doors moment,” said Todd Woodbridge of the game. Reckon he might be spot on.
Second set: Evans 7-5, 5-4 Tomic* (*denotes server). Tomic serving for the set dishes up a half-tracker at 15-30 the the Brit doesn’t miss. The Australian replies with an ace, but Evans wants to check that out? It’s in, says the television review. “The crowd are into it now, when they were very sedate before this,” says Fitzgerald on the TV. That’s not a bad point, Evans’ blow-up in the previous game has certainly encouraged the crowd behind the local boy. Who finishes off this hold with an ace. But he still needs to break - right now - to stay in this set.
Second set: *Evans 7-5, 5-3 Tomic (*denotes server). Another hold for Evans! A bit of drama at game-point 40-30 when the Brit didn’t like the noise behind him - coughing he said - as he prepared to serve. But the umpire didn’t like his swearing. Probably lucky not to get pinged a point? Anyway, no harm, no foul and all that. Back to his mark, he got the second serve in and finished with a winner deep into the corner. The same was set up by a beautiful point at 15-all, Evans showing such patience to keep Tomic pinned well behind the base line. When the time was right, he scampered up to the net and finished off the volley with precision. Tomic got it back to 30-all, but Evans was up to the challenge again to win a game point via a backhand winner down the line, again from inside the service line.
Second set: Evans 7-5, 4-3 Tomic* (*denotes server). Get the feeling Evans was happy enough to watch Tomic race through that game knowing that the real job for him is to hold serve, already having the break taken care of. Tomic wraps up the game with two giant serves that the Brit can’t get back. Will be forced into taking some chances on Evans serve next up.
Second set: *Evans 7-5, 4-2 Tomic (*denotes server). He’s very easy to like tonight, Evans. He’s backing himself, and it is working out more often than it isn’t. A strong advance to the net was well timed, Tomic surprised by the move even though he’s pulled it about half a dozen times in this set alone. 30-30. The Brit messed up a little drop shot on the forehand, which wasn’t pretty, but at deuce he gave the forehand slice another go, and this time it worked out well. To finish: a huge serve, too good for Tomic. He two holds away from a two set lead.
Second set: Evans 7-5, 3-2 Tomic* (*denotes server). Another comfortable hold for Tomic, who will be wondering where these thundering serves were a quarter hour back. A pair of aces at 30-0 and 40-0 gave Evans absolutely no chance there. To be fair to the Australian, he’s clearly fighting hard here. But it’ll count for nothing unless he can break back.
Second set: *Evans 7-5, 3-1 Tomic (*denotes server). Tomic is forced into a challenge at 30-all, almost in hope that Evans has gone long with his forehand. But he hasn’t, the Brit earning game point then making no mistake with a huge backhand from deep in the court, well into the rally. Tomic netted the reply, both the point and game lost.
Second set: Evans 7-5, 2-1 Tomic* (*denotes server). Tomic has done this a few times already, holding his serve with utter ease the game after he was broken. It’s a win to love this time, Evans never in a point. The Australian needs to start stringing those together or his only route to victory will quickly become the long way. At least he’s on the board.
Second set: *Evans 7-5, 2-0 Tomic (*denotes server). Big hold from Evans, consolidating the break after a couple of trips to deuce. At 15-30 the threat was there that Tomic would again break back, but the Brit came to the net on consecutive points, the first time pulling off the classiest low volley. Both players burned a review sending calls upstairs, but Evans serve held firm when it mattered to press home his advantage.
Second set: Evans 7-5, 1-0 Tomic* (*denotes server). He’s on fire the Brit, breaking Tomic in the first game of the set! It was set up by monster rally at 15-30, Evans hanging in there as he did during the crucial point of the first set, an backhand error coming when the Australian ran out of patience. Another backhand into the net to the second of the break points earned the world No. 51 the game.
DAN EVANS WINS THE FIRST SET 7-5!
First set: *Evans 7-5 Tomic (*denotes server). A clinical hold to hold by the Brit, punctuated by a wonderfully timed race to the net and put away to get him out to 30-0, before an ace to delivery three set points. His second serve was good enough to force Tomic wide. It took seven breaks of serve, but we have ourselves a leader - and it isn’t the No. 17 seed.
First set: Evans 6-5 Tomic* (*denotes server). Well then, another break and Evans is going to be serving for the set when they are back from the change of ends. Tomic missed on the backhand at deuce then advantage, at the end of a game dominated by rallies. The clutch point was at deuce, Evans working to get balls back as Tomic sent him side to side. He was pretty happy with himself for that. “It may have turned this set his way,” says Todd Woodbridge of the immense effort from the Brit. Surely he serves this set out from here.
First set: *Evans 5-5 Tomic (*denotes server). On serve at five apiece after a very strong Evans service game. It included an ace and a tidy backhand volley from close range, but the highlight was a deft little forehand slice drop shot, leaving Tomic no chance.
First set: Evans 4-5 Tomic* (*denotes server). Tomic sealed it with an ace out wide from 40-30, an important hold in the ninth game of the set. But it wasn’t as straightforward as the previous, after Evans got into an early rally then was bang on from the net with a crisp volley. But he couldn’t go on with it, missing with both the forehand then backhand down the line; both ambitious efforts at the end of long rallies. There’s a pattern emerging here: when into the rally, Tomic looks the man more likely. Meanwhile, Evans now serves to stay in the set.
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First set: *Evans 4-4 Tomic (*denotes server). Evans turn to show that his earlier trouble on serve may have been dealt with, making each of his first serves, Tomic unable to get any meaningful rally going as a result. Much better tennis.
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First set: Evans 3-4 Tomic* (*denotes server). That’s how it’s meant to be. The big ace to get him going. Another at 30-0. Then forcing the error from a return when landing a third bullet. Tomic holds inside 90 seconds.
First set: *Evans 3-3 Tomic (*denotes server). Alright. Have another break. This is getting a bit silly, but there you have it. Evans never really in this game, into the net at 0-15, losing a long rally after Tomic kept him running, pumping a forehand long. That gave three chances to break. It took all of them, before he knocked a backhand wide, getting the Australian back on serve. For what little that means in the context of this match so far.
First set: Evans 3-2 Tomic* (*denotes server). What a ropey start, that’s three breaks in five games as Evans again takes the advantage. It looked as though it would be anything but after Tomic raced to 40-0 on the back of a couple of unforced errors. But it was his turn to then battle, missing the chance to serve on the game on three occasions, netting a straightforward volley at 40-30 to bring deuce. A backhand winner brought up break point for the Brit, which he converted as Tomic punted a forehand long. Who will settle first?
First set: *Evans 2-2 Tomic (*denotes server). That’s a BREAK BACK for Tomic. Evans got away with opening a chance for Tomic, the Australian netting a return after the Brit came to the net prematurely on the back of a short return. But he wasn’t so lucky later in the game. Serving for it at 40-15, he missed one forehand, then punted another long, then repeated the error again on the backhand. All of a sudden: break back point to Tomic. Who gets the break given to him with a double fault. We’re back on serve.
First set: Evans 2-1 Tomic* (*denotes server). That’s good Bernie, the one who can rack up service games in a heartbeat when landing his serve. A pair of aces from 30-0 - wide and down the T - get him on the board with a hold to love.
First set: *Evans 2-0 Tomic (*denotes server). Comfortable hold, easy consolidation of the break. Punctuated by a forehand winner to earn game point at 40-15 then a backhand winner. He’s away here.
First set: Evans 1-0 Tomic (*denotes server). Straight away a BREAK to the Brit! What a way to start. What a way to shut up the local crowd. A forehand winner got the blood pumping before Tomic struggled his way to 30-40 before failing to get an Evans passing shot back. Cop that.
There’s a risk. Whenever an Australian faces a Brit in anything, sport or otherwise, the temptation is too strong to compare it to The Ashes. I’m going to spare you that, but don’t think I’m going to miss the opportunity to share this with you either: Gladiators Ashes.
Welcome to Bernard Tomic v Dan Evans... LIVE.
Good evening to those in Australia, good morning to the Brits. Welcome to Hisense Arena, where Bernard Tomic and Dan Evans will thrash it out over the next few hours in determining who will go through to the final 16 at Melbourne Park.
In the case of Tomic, the 27th seed is his nation’s best hope of deep progress in the tournament after Nick Kyrgios melted down on Wednesday. The Australian No. 2 was hard-held in his second round, rushing to a two-set lead before coming within a tie-break of having to do it in five.
He’s been to the quarters at Melbourne twice, on both occasions stopped by another Brit, Andy Murray - who just made it through to the second week himself on the same court. Tomic, now 24 years old, has been ranked as high as 17 in the world, but didn’t win a tournament last year for the first time since 2012. He has some way to go before fulfilling the promise he showed as a dominant junior.
There’s some tidy history between these day, as detailed nicely in Russell Jackson’s preview. Namely, Bernard’s father, who once said that Evans wasn’t fit to even hit up with his son. Sure enough: the Brit then knocked off Tomic in that year’s US Open. Gotta love it when trash talk goes wrong.
That was 2013, the only other time the two faced off in a 2015 Davis Cup tie, where Tomic again triumphed.
For his part, Evans has never been in better nick, currently sporting a career-high ranking of 51 after making it through to the Sydney International final last week. Then in his second round he knocked off Marin Cilic, the No. 7 seed. That’s some very tidy form.
Perhaps the best bit of the Evans story, also detailed by Russ, is that he had to go out and buy his own shirts (18 of them, at $20 a pop) because his sponsor dumped him after last year. A link between that and his current run? Who knows. But it makes for what should be a pretty good Friday night’s entertainment.
Adam Collins here to bring it to you game-by-game from Melbourne. Keep me company in the usual places, Adam.Collins.Freelance@theguardian.com or @collinsadam. The pair are about to hit up, so I’ll be back with you shortly.
Adam will be with you shortly. In the meantime, check out Russell Jackson’s preview of this round three encounter.
