Dan Evans opened up the men’s tournament at Queen’s Club with his biggest win for more than two years, toppling Frances Tiafoe – the seventh seed and world No 13 – 7-5, 6-2 to reach the second round.
The win was Evans’s first against a top-20 opponent since he defeated Alex de Minaur in the Davis Cup finals in 2023 and a positive step forward after an extremely difficult period in the final stretch of his career.
Having spent five consecutive years inside the top 100, Evans is attempting to re-establish himself at the top levels of the game after falling down the rankings in August last year. The 35‑year‑old scaled as high as No 21 less than two years ago but he now sits at No 199 in the ATP rankings. He received a wildcard to compete at Queen’s Club and he will also need a wildcard in order to compete in the main draw at Wimbledon in two weeks’ time.
“It’s always amazing to play here,” Evans said. “I didn’t know he was in the top 20, if I’m honest with you. I knew he was very good. I was really just trying to focus on playing some good tennis because this year it’s been few and far between.
“Days like today, whatever happens this week, is why I’ve been carrying on; to get out here and put my game on the court and enjoy it.”
Last month, Evans’s ranking of No 215 marked his lowest position since 2018. He has spent most of the past 10 months competing on the ATP Challenger tour and has reached just one quarter-final during this period. As he has struggled to build any momentum, even losing against multiple players ranked outside the top 350, his difficulties have naturally generated ample doubts about his future in the sport.
“It has been a pretty long year so far, I’ve been playing the lower tournaments and, let’s be honest, this is why I’m still hanging around to get back on the grass and try and get some wins,” he said.
Evans put together a spectacular match on Monday on the grass, a surface to which his distinct game remains so well suited. He bamboozled his American opponent throughout the match with his backhand slice, struck his forehand brilliantly and served well in the decisive moments.
During his 95 minutes on court, Evans showed he is still capable of performing at the highest level on a good day, in favourable conditions and before a home crowd that provided him with further inspiration. He will now try to use the confidence he has gained from such an impressive match to replicate this level on a more consistent basis.
Later on Monday, Jacob Fearnley eased into the second round with a 6-2, 6-4 win against Alex Bolt. Cameron Norrie, meanwhile, endured a difficult defeat against the 19-year-old eighth seed Jakub Mensik, losing 7-6 (6), 1-6, 6-1. “We played every tough game except for the last one and he won all of them,” Norrie said. “A good first match on the grass, and he served unbelievably well. I knew he had a good serve. I didn’t think it was really that good, but he’s a good player, tough player. I’m really impressed with him.”
