Dan Evans: Wimbledon Wild Card Snub was “Shambles”

Dan Evans’ tennis career ended on Wednesday at Wimbledon, the 36-year-old Brit losing a doubles match with Henry Searle, 6-2, 6-4 to Edouard Roger-Vasselin and Hugo Nys. 

Afterwards he talked with reporters about how he felt about not getting a singles wild card at Wimbledon. 

“I just don’t understand the reasoning, and nobody has given me a decent reason,” the ATP’s 385th-ranked singles player said. “Nobody’s had the minerals or however you want to phrase it to come over from the governing body, who I think I have done plenty for, and given me an explanation.” 

Evans has done admirable service for British tennis, reaching a career-high of No.21 and famously forgoing a Citi Open title defense to partner Andy Murray at the Paris Olympics in 2024. 

During his career he was known as a fiery player, but also a talented technician that played a crafty style of old-school tennis, replete with a single-handed backhand and a wicked backhand slice that was perfectly suited for grass. 

Typically singles wild cards go to the home nation, but this year’s championship was crowded with the likes of Stan Wawrinka and Grigor Dimitrov also receiving wild cards. 

It left Evans, who won seven of 17 matches in the main draw at Wimbledon, on the outside looking in. 

Evans says he wasn’t as miffed about the wild card snub as he was about the lack of communication from the club about the issue. 

“I would have loved to play singles,” he said. “If you can’t have a conversation and be honest… Listen, if they turned around and say, Listen, you’ve hardly played. 

“You know, communication is a big thing in tennis… No one spoke to me this week. No one has congratulated me on my career this week.”

Evans represented British tennis with pride over the years, playing 28 ties and winning 18 matches, including 14 in singles. 

“I enjoyed playing Davis Cup for my country more than I can tell you. It’s the best, the best thing ever,” he said. “But the last month has been nothing short of a shambles from them. That’s the bottom line. You speak to people; you talk to people.”