logo
Dan Evans believes aged wisdom key to Wimbledon success

Dan Evans believes aged wisdom key to Wimbledon success

The 35-year-old defeated fellow Brit Jay Clarke 6-1 7-5 6-2 to seal a first win in SW19 for four years, continuing his strong run of form on grass after fine wins at Queen's and Eastbourne in the run-up to Wimbledon. Having turned professional in 2006 and competed at Wimbledon more times than he can count, Evans believes his 19 years' worth of know-how stand him in good stead.
"I've said all along, I would love one more," said Evans. "I have some fourth rounds, but my goal was to make the quarters of a Grand Slam. You don't always reach your goals, but I still believe I have a shot. I have experience. There's been matches in Grand Slams where I've not put my mentality on the court or been nervous. It happens to everybody and that could happen on Thursday.
"I imagine it won't. I'm looking forward to the occasion. I haven't had the chance to play in any sort of arena like that for a long time. I've been playing qualifiers of the Grand Slams and challenger events. Of course I'm lucky to have been inside the top 50 for x amount of years before that, and I got the experience to play on the big courts.
"The difference between your first time out, you don't have the experience about how to prepare, how the day is going to be. I know how it is going to be. I know how I prepare whereas the younger guys or girls, they don't have that experience."
Evans was awarded a wild card in the run-up to Wimbledon, where he was one of 23 Brits to compete in the opening round in men's and women's. And having proven that faith justified, Evans has called on his colleagues to leave no stone unturned in doing the same.
He added: "Twenty-three players in both is an amazing accomplishment for the LTA. It really shows how they're backing their players. Let's be honest, some of the rankings are not of a wild card in the previous years.
"It's amazing that our men and women are getting backed so well but they have to go away now and pay back that faith. Hopefully they think, I want to be here main draw next year than I've got to ask again.
"That's what the wild card is for, to use the prize money, to invest it in yourself, not to sit back and rest on our laurels, which has happened in previous years. We're in a great spot at the minute."
For the latest action on the British summer grass court season, check out the LTA website
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

‘I'm absolutely useless' – Lewis Hamilton says Ferrari ‘need to change driver' after Hungarian GP qualifying nightmare
‘I'm absolutely useless' – Lewis Hamilton says Ferrari ‘need to change driver' after Hungarian GP qualifying nightmare

Scottish Sun

time8 hours ago

  • Scottish Sun

‘I'm absolutely useless' – Lewis Hamilton says Ferrari ‘need to change driver' after Hungarian GP qualifying nightmare

LEW BLEW IT 'I'm absolutely useless' – Lewis Hamilton says Ferrari 'need to change driver' after Hungarian GP qualifying nightmare Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) LEWIS HAMILTON slammed himself as "useless" and told Ferrari to "CHANGE driver" after another nightmare qualifying saw him booted out in 12th. To make matters worse for the seven-time world champion his teammate Charles Leclerc bagged a shock pole position at the Hungaroring. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 5 Lewis Hamilton slammed himself as 'useless' Credit: PA 5 Hamilton told Ferrari to 'change driver' Credit: PA 5 Another nightmare qualifying saw him booted out in 12th Credit: Reuters Hamilton's Q2 exit comes after the British 40-year-old was axed all the way back in 18th in Q1 at the Belgian Grand Prix last time out. And today, Rookies Gabriel Bortoleto, Isack Hadjar and Ollie Bearman all finished ahead of the British 40-year-old in Hungary. Hamilton said 'Everytime, everytime.' on his team radio as the mechanics rolled his car back into the garage. He added: "It's me every time. I'm useless, absolutely useless. READ MORE IN F1 TRACK BACK Popular F1 track hopes to return after 3 decades as redevelopment takes place "The team have no problem. You've seen the car's on pole so we probably need to change driver." Told his assessment is obviously not the case, Hamilton replied: "It clearly is. I just drove terribly. It is what it is." Hamilton has not finished on the podium after 13-races since his move to Ferrari this season, meanwhile his teammate Leclerc is 30-points above him in the driver's standings. Nobody saw it coming, the first pole of the year for Leclerc, 27, to stun second-place Oscar Piastri and third-place Lando Norris in their lightning quick McLarens. 5 CASINO SPECIAL - BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS Leclerc's stunning lap threw a huge spanner in the works as McLaren had looked on course to line up one-two on the grid after the first two sessions. But soon they were left scratching their heads and blaming the wind, which in fairness flipped the final session on its head on the outskirts of Budapest. Fears for F1 race with circuit damaged by raging storms as floodwater rips up part of the track Monegasque driver Leclerc even laughed when he was told on the team radio he secured pole, saying: "Whaaaaaaaaat?!" He added afterwards: 'Today I don't understand anything in Formula 1! Honestly, the whole qualifying has been extremely difficult. 'Honestly, I have no words. It's probably one of the best pole positions that I've ever had, because it's the most unexpected, for sure.' Piastri and Norris both blamed the wind, with the Brit saying: 'From how our form is, then of course (it's disappointing), but I think Charles did a good job on the last lap. 'He probably risked a little bit more in these conditions. The wind changed a lot and it really seemed to punish us in a bigger way it seems.' Aussie driver Piastri added: "I think the wind changed a lot. It always sounds so pathetic, blaming things on the wind, but the wind basically did a 180 from Q1 to Q3.' There was more frustration for Mercedes as Italian 18-year-old Kimi Anontelli was out in Q2, having to settle for 15th on the grid for Sunday's race. Meanwhile, George Russell gave Toto Wolff's team a glimmer of hope, lining up in fourth-place on the grid for the race while Mac Verstappen who has been struggling all weekend came in eighth. Red Bull's Yuki Tsundoa was the biggest casualty from the first session as he was eliminated in 16th.

Ferrari delight and despair as Charles Leclerc shocks and Lewis Hamilton suffers
Ferrari delight and despair as Charles Leclerc shocks and Lewis Hamilton suffers

Daily Mirror

time8 hours ago

  • Daily Mirror

Ferrari delight and despair as Charles Leclerc shocks and Lewis Hamilton suffers

Charles Leclerc beat Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris to pole position at the Hungarian Grand Prix but Ferrari also suffered a blow with Lewis Hamilton well down the order Lewis Hamilton declared himself "useless" and told Ferrari they "probably need to change driver" after another galling qualifying performance at the Hungarian Grand Prix. But there was joy on the other side of the garage as Charles Leclerc secured a shock pole position in Budapest. ‌ McLaren dominated practice and, like this season's Formula 1 title race, the battle for pole looked likely to be a straight duel between Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris. But as the wind changed, in swept Leclerc to seal "one of the best poles I've ever had", and Ferrari's first Grand Prix qualifying success of the year. ‌ He was the only one representing the team in the final part of the session with Hamilton already back in the garage. The seven-time champ was 13th quickest but gained a place when Kimi Antonelli had a lap deleted and was dropped to 15th. ‌ It was the latest in a string of qualifying disasters for Hamilton who was in the bottom five in both sessions at Spa-Francorchamps last weekend. The 40-year-old has been on pole nine times at the Hungaroring in his F1 career but could not connect with a track he loves. And he was visibly emotional in a tough-to-watch interview afterwards, in which he made it clear he believes he is the problem. Hamilton mumbled: "It's just me, every time. I'm useless, absolutely useless. The team has no problem – the other car is on pole. They probably need to change driver." Ferrari have generally lacked the pace to fight for victories so far this season but Leclerc has still managed five podium finishes up to now. And he could make it six today, or perhaps even get the team's first win of the year, having stunned even himself by denying the McLarens. On Thursday, Leclerc said the Hungary circuit is "by far my worst track of the season". But he changed his tune after qualifying and said: "It's a track where I've never really been successful, but since practice I felt like there was something that had changed this year. ‌ "It was the most surprising pole position I have had I think, because after Q1 and Q2 I was expecting maybe P5 if I did everything perfectly. But it was a lot better than that! It's been a very tricky qualifying for everybody, but we managed to do a really good job anyway." Piastri joins Leclerc on the front row with Norris third ahead of fellow Brit George Russell in his Mercedes. Fernando Alonso is the first man since Graham Hill in 1975 to compete in F1 beyond his 44th birthday but has overcome a back injury to drive this weekend and will start fifth as Aston Martin found pace. Rookie Gabriel Bortoleto also shone in his Sauber, qualifying seventh ahead of Max Verstappen who has never won a race from eighth on the grid in his career. And he doesn't expect that to change today in a Red Bull car he is not enjoying one bit, saying: "No grip front or rear and no real balance in the car, not one lap the whole weekend. It's not been too bad in the past but, for whatever reason, this weekend nothing has really worked."

Lewis Hamilton declares himself 'useless' in tough to watch interview at Hungarian GP
Lewis Hamilton declares himself 'useless' in tough to watch interview at Hungarian GP

Daily Mirror

time9 hours ago

  • Daily Mirror

Lewis Hamilton declares himself 'useless' in tough to watch interview at Hungarian GP

Lewis Hamilton declared himself "useless" and said Ferrari "probably need to change driver" in a gut-wrenching interview after qualifying for the Hungarian Grand Prix. He had failed to make the top 10 after a disappointing Q2 exit and is set to start Sunday's race 12th on the grid. Charles Leclerc sparked jubilant scenes in the Ferrari garage by securing the team's first Grand Prix pole of the season. But in the other red car, Hamilton had a wretched time and was visibly emotional as he spoke to Sky Sports and made it clear he feels he is the problem. The Brit said: "It's just me, every time. I'm useless, absolutely useless. The team has no problem – the other car is on pole. They probably need to change driver." Hamilton had put in some decent times in practice on Friday. But still he had been complaining about a lack of balance and had told reporters that he had not felt as comfortable in the cars as his lap times had suggested, and those problems came back to haunt him in qualifying. In contrast, it was a joyous day for Leclerc who, earlier in the weekend, had declared the Hungaroring his "worst circuit of the season". But he produced one of his very best qualifying laps to see off both the McLaren cars which had dominated all three practice sessions but could deny the Monegasque when it mattered. ---

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store