Evans and hell!
OFF-KEY DAN IN THE DUMPS AS BRIT ADMITS: I PANICKED
DAN EVANS admits he “panicked” during his flat defeat Down Under as a local band played even worse than the British singles players at the Australian Open.
World No.9 Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime (right) rocked the No.24 seed 6-4 6-1 6-1 to see all seven UK singles players out by the third round.
The British No.2 claimed he lost his early-season momentum by getting a walkover in the second round – and then had to contend with racket pollution from a nearby on-site concert.
But Evans, who failed to take any of his three break points, was prepared to face the music in his post-match press conference.
He said: “I wasn’t in the match to be honest – it was pretty one way, I couldn’t find my game. I had a small chance at four-all and then I panicked on the court – it was total.
“I missed my chance and I panicked a bit and that happens in tennis. I’m not going to sit here and say he was too good. I panicked and I felt that.”
The British singles players at Melbourne Park won only four matches between them – with Andy Murray and
Emma Raducanu suffering unexpected defeats – while Evans had that walkover into the third round.
The 31-year-old Brummie, who had won all five of his matches at the ATP Cup, said: “I’m not making excuses but it wasn’t easy to have a walkover and I sort of lost my momentum a little bit.
“I never had that before, two days off, and it was difficult.
“I had not seen any crowds, I had been in the locker room, I had been just around the place and then I sort of walked out.
“Maybe I made a little mistake there.
“I thought I’ve got a decent chance to win that match and probably thought a bit too much about Felix rather than looking after myself, my own game.”
For most of the first set, a Melbourne duo called Groove City could be heard murdering cover versions of songs such as We Are the World and Let It Be like bad pub singers. But Evans laughed: “There were some bad notes being knocked out but they should have kept it on, I played better with it on.
“It was probably the best part of the match, listening to Rocket Man by Elton John!
“But there was no stopping turbo-charged Auger-Aliassime, who hit 40 winners and sent down 16 aces.
The man from Montreal, who now works with Rafa Nadal’s uncle and former coach Toni, thrashed Murray in straight sets at the 2020 US Open.
But the 21-year-old said: “That was definitely one of my best Grand Slam performances.”
Murray and Joe Salisbury were in the John Cain Arena – the venue for the Scot’s defeat this week – to cheer on Evans.
Evans admitted: “It’s a nice gesture that they come out.
“They’re probably regretting wasting two hours of their time now, and they will probably let me know!”
No.2 seeds Salisbury and Rajeev Ram are still in the hunt for a second Australian Open doubles title after winning 6-1 6-2 against Marcus Daniell and Frederick Nielsen.