Fuming Dan Evans claims British tennis is just too ‘elitist’ after French Open exit

An indignant Dan Evans has claimed he took aim at “elitist” British tennis to assist fellow “working-class people” after his fiery defeat left solely two British singles stars left on the French Open. “I just don’t think there’s a chance for people from working-class backgrounds to get into the sport and get a chance if their parents don’t have money,” mentioned the British No 2.

The Brummie said in his pre-tournament press convention that Emma Raducanu’s US Open success had “papered over the cracks” within the sport. And he mentioned there must be “soul-searching” and modifications to the event system after 10 British gamers didn’t get by means of qualifying. There aren’t any British girls singles gamers within the prime 100 – and none right here with Emma Raducanu injured.

LTA chiefs Leon Smith and Michael Bourne had been watching Court 7 yesterday because the No 20 seed misplaced his cool within the Paris warmth to go down 6-4 6-4 6-4 to Aussie wildcard Thanasi Kokkinakis. And he then re-directed his hearth from the Spanish umpire to class inequalities again residence.

“I voice my opinions because I want younger children, working-class kids to get the support they deserve,” Evans mentioned. “In any other sport, when people voice their opinions about a system, it goes forward, but in tennis, because we’re so elitist in England, it doesn’t get put forward. I’m doing it for working-class people like I was.

“No-one ever just comes from nowhere. In Britain. it’s always: ‘Yeah, he was good when he was young’. Ten times out of ten they’re from a very nice area most likely. I just don’t think there’s a chance for people from working-class backgrounds to get into the sport and get a chance if their parents don’t have money.

“That’s why I do it. I’m just asking for things to be a bit different, more people to have a chance to get funded. It’s not personal. If you’re taking it personally, then maybe you’re guilty of what I’m saying.”

But after dropping within the first spherical right here for the fifth time, Evans admitted: “I’ve got my own battles to deal with right now on the court. It’s shocking how I played today. It’s not good enough.”

Evans led 4-2 30-0 within the second set earlier than he was foot-faulted and double-faulted for crossing the centre line along with his again foot. He then misplaced the subsequent 4 factors – after which ranted at umpire Jaume Campistol earlier than getting a code violation for slamming his water bottle into the clay.

“I’ll be getting fined, obviously, for breaking the water bottle. I have never had a foot fault like that before. It obviously threw me quite a bit. I sort of lost all trust in where my feet were. It’s a very minor thing, but it became a pretty big thing in my head. But they find a way of getting involved.

“Whoever it is up in the chair, they find a way, and they’re good at it. They get involved plenty. It’s frustrating. Breaking a water bottle is not that big of a deal. Disruptive, wrong, a few other things you could say about it.

“That’s not anywhere near the reason why I lost. I was bottom drawer from start to finish, and he was decent.” British No 1 Cam Borrie will face French wildcard Benoit Paire on Monday whereas Jack Draper performs Argentine Tomas Martin Etcheverry.