By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Sunday August 6, 2023
The 33-year-old defeated Tallon Griekspoor to become the first British champion at the Mubadala Citi DC Open since 2003.
/br> Photo Source: Mubadala Citi DC Open
Dan Evans entered the Citi Open carrying no form to speak of. On a six-match losing streak, he dropped the opening set of his second-round contest with Frenchman Gregoire Barrere, and was seemingly headed to another disappointing outing.
But Evans rallied to victory, winning 12 of the final 15 games against Barrere, and never looked back from there, winning the final 10 sets he played in D.C. to claim the title at the Mubadala Citi DC Open – his first ATP 500 title and second overall.
33-year-old Evans becomes the oldest champion at the event since Jimmy Connors in 1988, and the first British man to claim the title since Tim Henman in 2003.
“The first round was a little scrappy, but I played very good tennis from then on in,” Evans said on Sunday night after dismantling Dutchman Tallon Griekspoor 7-5, 6-3.
Evans will rise to a career-high ranking of No.21 in Monday’s ATP rankings, the clever, quirky Brit hitting his stride once again in the late stages of his career.
"I wasn't playing very well and I wasn't happy with my game. To do the work I've done and to stick with it and come through is [amazing]," said Evans after his win, which saw him save four break points in the final game before he closed out his second career title. "The last game sort of summed up my week. I got out of trouble and it was an amazing week.”
Griekspoor was bidding for his third career title but he was unable to produce the magic that he showed against Taylor Fritz in the semifinals.
The 27-year-old didn’t earn a break point until the final game of the match, and he couldn’t keep Evans from slamming the door down the stretch when he had his opportunity to prolong the match.
Griekspoor was broken while serving to force a tiebreak in the first set. In the second set, after a lengthy rain delay, he double-faulted on break point to hand Evans a 5-3 lead.
Evans credited his team and his work ethic for helping him work his way out of his funk.
"I was playing well and I just couldn't get over the line," he said. "That's where you sort of lean on your team to keep you working hard and training and practicing hard.
"It's especially good to get the outcome I got this week, but I said to myself once I got into the semis that that was a good effort and then I sort of reset and, you know, wanted to then win the tournament."