Dan Evans claimed his “wonderful week” on the US Open proved: “I’m nonetheless fairly good at tennis.” The British No.5 arrived on the ultimate Grand Slam of the yr on a run of 10 consecutive Tour-level singles defeats stretching again to March.
However the Brummie received the longest match in US Open historical past within the first spherical and took world No.10 Alex De Minaur to 4 units regardless of a hip harm. And the Davis Cup champion, 34, mentioned: “This week’s introduced a number of good issues. It’s not that I fell out of affection with tennis, however it’s simply given me a glimpse.I am nonetheless fairly good, and that is a pleasant feeling strolling off.
“A little bit of me is wounded in fact. I fancied my possibilities in opposition to Demon however it wasn’t to be, and he was and the draw was good, and that is what I’ve waited for for a very long time, to see one thing like that, however I wasn’t ok.
“I’ll sleep effectively for in all probability the following 4 or 5 days and and I will be over that fairly fast. It has been an incredible week. I got here to America with no expectations and a number of doubt, and I left with a ofclarity, that I can nonetheless do it on the larger stage, not not fairly the highest stage, however the larger stage.
“I cherished it on the market. New York is simply an incredible place to play tennis. AndI took it in. I seemed round and Iloved what I used to be seeing. To be taking part in in entrance of these individuals. It isn’t, going to final eternally. Everyone knows that.
“And it is in all probability the primary time I’ve, in all probability seemed round and seen individuals smiling and shouting and hollering at me. And it was all three matches have been nice. I depart with with nice tennis in my legs and and that is good factor for the remainder of the yr and the Davis Cup.”
Evans will play for Nice Britain within the Davis Cup qualifiers in Manchester subsequent week earlier than bidding to climb up the rankings from his present No.184 – after which hopefully the Davis Cup finals in November.
The previous world No.21 mentioned: I am not too fussed if I am in in qualities of Australia, I will give it an excellent go. But when I am nowhere close to it, I will play some Challengers after Davis Cup and and hopefully we qualify for the for the finals. That’s the precedence.”
Evans had refused to retire throughout his third spherical defeat to De Minaur regardless of sickness and a hip harm. He received solely three factors within the ultimate set – and solely one of many final 19 – and he was even booed by sections of the Saturday night time crowd within the Louis Armstrong Stadium.
“I wasn’t tempted to cease,” he mentioned. “I feel it’s about respect. I used to be comparatively okay within the third set. It was fairly bemusing that they began to boo me when the irony was I used to be staying on the market for them.
“And naturally I respect Alex. I don’t suppose you have to be pulling out in a Grand Slam. You end the match. That is simply my manner. And that is how I used to be introduced up.
“You keep until the tip and shake fingers. And he truly mentioned: ‘Thanks for staying on the market, respect’. And that is not what I’m doing it for. However individuals come into and pay and a few are comfortable and a few usually are not.
“After the second set, it reads: ‘6-0 6-0.’ However that is by the by for me. I could not give a **** if the rating says: ‘6-0 6-0’. I stayed on the market to combat till the final ball.”