Dan Evans' Wimbledon farewell is facing an early setback, as the British tennis star will now need to battle his way through qualifying after missing out on a singles wildcard. The 36-year-old had been pinning hopes on a wildcard to ensure a poignant send-off at the All England Club, but it's back to the drawing board for Evans as he prepares to bow out of professional tennis.
Evans will have to win three matches in the qualifying tournament at Roehampton, starting on Monday, if he wants to join the main draw. It's a tough ask, given his current world ranking of 244 – but we know Evans has what it takes to mix it with the big boys. He was granted a wildcard for Wimbledon last year, and who can forget his heroics in 2015 when he helped Great Britain clinch the Davis Cup title? Partnering Sir Andy Murray at the Paris Olympics in 2024 only added to his impressive CV.
So while this latest development may have dented Evans' hopes of a dream farewell, it's not all doom and gloom. The British ace has been awarded a wildcard for the men's doubles event – where he'll team up with Henry Searle – guaranteeing him at least one match at SW19 before his retirement. And who knows, maybe this could be the perfect opportunity for Evans to make a last-gasp impact in what promises to be an action-packed tournament.
The All England Club made their wildcard decisions on Wednesday, handing them out to Harry Wendelken and Felix Gill – both of whom have been in scorching form. Meanwhile, 2022 finalist Nick Kyrgios missed out on a wildcard, while Matteo Berrettini secured automatic entry into the main draw after Lorenzo Musetti withdrew with a thigh injury. The women's singles wildcards are largely confirmed, but one spot is still up for grabs.
Source: All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club