Britain’s No.3, Dan Evans earns a spot in the quarter finals of the Rothesay Open, an ATP Challenger event being played out on the grass courts of the Nottingham Tennis Centre.
It was a good match. It was very tight. His game is very good for a grass court, and it was a difficult match, Dan Evans
And it wasn’t easy as the Wimbledon junior champion Henry Searle kept him busy before he completed a 7-6(4) 7-6(5) victory and then predicted a bright future for the teenager.
The 34-year-old from Birmingham who is chasing a third title at Nottingham, was also happy to have been given a tough test by the 18-year-old which will help his preparations for Wimbledon.
“It was a good match. It was very tight. His game is very good for a grass court, and it was a difficult match,” Evans said. “It’s not an easy match-up for me but I played well, and he played well.
“He is obviously very good (and) he is going to be a hell of a player. I was fully ready, and I had to be fired up to get across the line. I only just got across.
“It was an enjoyable match. I am just happy to come through. It was not really the draw I wanted to see when I saw he was next to my name but credit to him, he played great, and I played very good as well.
“If I didn’t play well today, I wasn’t winning the match. I couldn’t play seven or eight out of 10, I had to play better, and I did. I am just happy to come through it.
“That was such a tough match and should set me in good stead for the rest of the grass season.”
Evans will face fellow Brit Charles Broom in the last eight after the latter beat South African Lloyd Harris 7-6(2) 2-6 6-4.
The pair are two of at least four Brits in the last eight with Jacob Fearnley coming out on top against compatriot Paul Jubb 6-1 6-7(14) 6-3, with British No.1 Cameron Norrie taking on Jack Pinnington-Jones for a place in the quarter finals. Billy Harris faces Brazil’s Joao Fonseca in his second-round match hoping to make it five.
A great future is predicted for Henry Searle o
(Photo by Nathan Stirk/Getty Images for LTA)
