Dan Evans Remembers Ranking Sacrifice to Play at Olympics After Wimbledon Wild Card Snub in Final Appearance

Dan Evans had teamed up with Andy Murray for the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Dan Evans Remembers Ranking Sacrifice to Play at Olympics After Wimbledon Wild Card Snub in Final Appearance

Dan Evans (Image via BBC)

Dan Evans, in the end, did not receive a Wimbledon wild card for the main draw. Evans announced last week that he will hang up his racket after Wimbledon.

He expected his home Major to hand him the wild card after being denied the same by the Queen’s Club Championships. Evans thought it would have been a “classy gesture” had the Queen’s awarded him entry into the main draw. Evans lost in three sets to Marcos Giron in the first qualifier.

The wild cards for Wimbledon are: Grigor Dimitrov,  Jacob Fearnley, Arthur Fery, Felix Gill, Jack Pinnington Jones, Toby Samuel, Stan Wawrinka, and Harry Wendelken. Except for Dimitrov (Bulgaria) and Wawrinka (Switzerland), all the other players are from Britain.

Evans, to criticize Wimbledon for the wild card snub, took to Instagram story and shared a post from Showcase Tennis which reads: “Sacrificed 500 Washington points for Olympics and [Andy] Murray’s farewell Wimbledon rejected his wild card request“.

Check out his post here:

Back in 2024, Evans competed alongside Murray at the Paris Olympics. It was Murray’s career’s last tournament as he hung up his racket after his and Evans’ doubles defeat to Taylor Fritz and Tommy Paul in the quarterfinals.

Evans, the winner of two singles titles from four finals, won his last title at the 2024 Citi Open by defeating Tallon Griekspoor. But he chose not to defend his 500 ranking points to represent Britain at the Paris Olympics. He was also a part of Britain’s team that won the Davis Cup in 2015 (their first in 79 years).

Although Evans did not get the singles wild card at SW19, he received the wild card in doubles. He will play alongside Henry Searle. Evans will only secure a spot in the main draw in singles if he wins his three matches in the qualifying rounds. Nick Kyrgios, the 2022 Wimbledon runner-up (lost to Novak Djokovic), also did not receive a wild card.

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John Lloyd doesn’t think Dan Evans deserves the singles wild card

John Lloyd, the former British No.1 and the runner-up of the 1977 Australian Open, backed Wimbledon for their decision to award the wild card to Grigor Dimitrov and Stan Wawrinka. The Swiss ace, winner of three Grand Slam titles, will also be playing his career’s last Wimbledon.

Dan Evans
Dan Evans (Image via Sky Sports)

Dimitrov, the three-time Grand Slam semifinalist, took the first two sets off eventual champion Jannik Sinner during their fourth-round clash last year. But he injured his right pectoral muscle and handed the walkover to the Italian.

I’m so happy for Grigor. He has had a few injuries. He’s a classy player, and he still thinks he has a lot left to offer on the tennis court. This is not just a farewell tour. He definitely deserves one… Stan Wawrinka, you cannot not give him one. He’s won three Grand Slams.

John Lloyd told BBC

But Lloyd doesn’t think compatriot Dan Evans deserved the wild card. The 71-year-old pointed out that Evans played just five matches this year (not one in the tour-level main draw).

Then the Brits there all deserve it. I think they are very solid wildcards, I would not query any of those at all. Dan is an interesting thing. I certainly believe you should reward players who have served the country and performed in Davis Cup. Dan had a wild card last year; he won a round and lost to Novak. This year, to me, he has been a part-time player. He has only played five matches and won one. I think Wimbledon have done the right thing. 

John Lloyd added

Evans made his Grand Slam main-draw debut at the 2009 Wimbledon and produced his best performance by reaching the third round three times (2016, 2019, and 2021). Last year, he suffered a second-round defeat, losing in straight sets to seven-time Wimbledon champion Djokovic.

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