French Open 2023: Dan Evans bows out in straight units to Thanasi Kokkinakis
I
n the lead-up to the French Open, Dan Evans was venting his frustration on the method wherein British tennis is being run.
On court docket on Sunday, his frustrations have been as an alternative reserved for himself in a wholly winnable opening-round match which he misplaced in straight units 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 to Thanasi Kokkinakis.
For the second straight Grand Slam, Kokkinakis was drawn towards a Briton early on. At the Australian Open, he misplaced out in a five-set marathon to Andy Murray, towards Evans at Roland Garros he was a deserving winner.
The scoreline was maybe a tad harsh on the British No2, who did little improper within the first set and led 4-1 within the second earlier than his Australian opponent put collectively a sequence of 5 straight video games gained to seal the set.
It left Evans remonstrating with himself, these in his field and the umpire for a foot fault when a break up and main 4-2 in that set.
That proved key, so too an epic 10-minute sport within the ninth, which might have gone both method. In the top, it went towards the No20 seed, leaving him a mountain to climb, which he couldn’t.
There was a lot head shaking and self-flagellation when he was damaged in sport 5 of the third set. He managed to pressure his method again into it, a uncommon Kokkinakis double fault giving him the break again and levelling the scores at 4-4.
But it was solely a brief reprieve, Evans was damaged the very subsequent sport from which there was no coming again. It meant Kokkinakis sailed by way of to the second spherical and Evans ready to go to the UK for the house comforts of the grasscourt season.
It leaves the singles attracts even barer of British gamers. For the primary time at a Grand Slam since 2009, there are no British women within the singles regardless of six gamers trying to make their method by way of qualifying.
And now dwelling hopes relaxation solely on the shoulders of Jack Draper, solely simply again from a hip harm, and Cameron Norrie, who appeared to undergo a abdomen subject in his exit from the Lyon Open earlier this week. Both are in motion on Monday.