By Kieran Jackson | Saturday, June 10 2017
"I just pushed off on a return and heard and felt something go," said Dan Evans, who was forced to retire after suffering a left calf injury.
Photo credit: Christopher Levy
Dan Evans’ Wimbledon participation in doubt following a left leg injury he sustained at the Aegon Surbiton Trophy today.
The top-seeded Evans was forced to retire hurt from his quarterfinal against German Dustin Brown, putting his participation for the rest of the grass court season and Wimbledon in serious jeopardy.
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The 55th-ranked Brit was a set and a break up at 6-3 4-2 when he pulled up chasing for a ball, and limped to his chair in some serious pain.
After a medical time-out being called, and heavy strapping wrapped around his left calf, he felt unable to continue, despite being a point away from serving for the match.
Following such a deflating exit to the tournament in which he was the clear favorite to win, Evans’ main concern now will be the severity of the muscular injury.
He is due to play in the Nottingham challenger event next week, and Queens the week after. Although both might come too soon, his predominant focus will be regaining his fitness for Wimbledon in three weeks’ time.
"I just pushed off on a return and heard and felt something go," a disconsolate Evans said afterward. "It’s a bit disappointing to lose the match like that, but that’s the sport we play so we’ll see how it is."
When asked about the prospect of playing in the next few weeks, Evans replied: "I don’t know obviously until I have the scan, so we’ll see how it is come Monday and hopefully it’s settled down a bit."
Given he reached the third round last year at SW19, and grass being undoubtedly the surface most suited to his game, Evans will be desperate to return to action as soon as possible, with the need to defend ranking points and make the most of an extended grass court season at the forefront of his mind.
On the other hand, the fortunate Brown progresses to the semifinals, where he will play Australian Jordan Thompson, who beat towering American Reilly Opelka 7-5, 6-2.
Freelance journalist Kieran Jackson is covering the British grass court summer in the lead up to Wimbledon for Tennis Now.