LONDON :Dismantled 6-3 6-2 6-0 by Novak Djokovic on Centre Court on Thursday, Britain’s Dan Evans found solace in what could be his final bow on tennis’s most famous stage.
“When you’re 35, you’ve got more perspective than when you’re 21,” he said. “I wanted to win the match. I believed I could win the match. I felt confident going into the match. It’s just such a hard task at hand, and that’s it.
“I’m not going to say I enjoyed it or didn’t enjoy it. I understand the occasion and what a moment it was for myself to go out there and experience everything today.”
The veteran Briton, who beat Djokovic in the pair’s only other meeting but is now ranked outside the top 150 in the world, acknowledged that he had been outclassed from the opening game. “I felt like I was always on the back foot,” he said.
“I’d say, if I had to sum it up, it felt the tennis balls were back in my pocket very quickly and never stayed in there a long time.”
Despite the lopsided scoreline, Evans embraced the magnitude of the occasion, particularly in the closing stages. “The last probably four or five games, I really soaked it up, and I did enjoy it, yeah,” he reflected.
Evans praised Djokovic’s tactical brilliance, noting how the seven-times Wimbledon champion served “like a big server” despite his modest 1.85-metre frame. “Today he served spots. I don’t think he got over 130 (mph), but every serve was a spot,” Evans observed.
With his ranking having slipped and his body feeling the toll of professional tennis, Evans faces an uncertain future.
“Waking up after playing matches is hard now,” he admitted with characteristic honesty. “It’s just not as easy as it used to be – without sounding Andy Murray-esque dramatic.”
The Briton has not mapped out his schedule beyond potentially targeting U.S. Open qualifying, preferring to “take a bit of time” to assess his options. But regardless of what lies ahead, Evans felt grateful for one more Centre Court moment, especially with his father watching from the box.
“Bottom line is I may never get another chance,” Evans said of playing on the sport’s grandest stage. “I’ll look back with a proud happiness.”
(Editing by Clare Fallon)
