Now British bad boy takes on Fed
THIS time last year, Dan Evans failed to qualify for Wimbledon and had fallen to 763 in the world rankings.
But now the revitalised British number four, once known as the ‘bad boy’ of tennis because of his love of partying, is enjoying his best-ever run in the tournament.
Tattooed Evans, 26, had never won a match at Wimbledon before this week but is now in the third round, where he will play Roger Federer.
It means the Birmingham-born electrician’s son is in for an £80,000 pay day even if he loses against the seventimes former champion.
That is more than the £70,000 which Evans, who beat world number 33 Ukranian Alexandr Dolgopolov in the second round yesterday, has won in the first half of 2016.
Evans, who has risen to number 91 in the world ranking thanks to his improved performances over the last 12 months, will face a far tougher fight against Federer, who defeated another Briton, qualifier Marcus Willis, earlier this week in round two.
Referring to his past fondness for nights out, Evans, whose tattoos include one on his arm reading ‘Every saint has a past, every sinner has a future’, yesterday said: ‘I still like a night now. It doesn’t change. Just do it at the right time.’
As a teenager Evans was stripped of his Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) funding after going out the night before a match.
He said yesterday he found life at the academy at the LTA’s National Tennis Centre in Roehampton, London ‘too regimented’, adding: ‘Sometimes, I would just disappear for a few days, have a few drinks.’
Davis Cup captain Leon Smith once joked that he might have to tag Evans to keep tabs on him at night on away trips. Evans said: ‘When I was a bit younger, I don’t think I was ready to play professional tennis maybe.
‘I would say I wasn’t, you know, just ready for that commitment of day in, day out. It is a grind at times. Now I’m enjoying it.
‘Don’t get me wrong. I do sometimes think, God, it’s another day. But I’m just trying to, you know, stay positive.’ Asked if he would be getting in touch with his friend Willis for some advice on Federer, Evans smiled as he said: ‘No. Lost in three straights. No advice needed.’
He attributed his rise up the rankings to ‘just doing the right stuff on and off the court’.
Of playing Federer, he said: ‘I have got to prepare like I have a chance to win the match. I have to put to the back of my mind that he is one of the best players ever to play the game.’
Asked if drawing Federer was a ‘reward’ for his hard work, Evans said wryly: ‘There’s better rewards.’ But he added: ‘Against him, it would be stupid to say it’s not a special occasion.
‘It’s going to be a great, great experience. It’s not a day out for me. It’s a chance. It’s a good opportunity. It’s not a Lord Mayor’s Show. I’m taking it seriously.’
ANDY Murray cruised past Taiwanese player Lu Yen-hsun yesterday, beating him in three sets to progress to the third round of the tournament. He will play Australia’s John Millman, the world number 67, on Saturday.