French Open: Katie Boulter, Dan Evans losses end British hopes

PARIS — British tennis can have no contender within the second spherical of the singles on the French Open for the primary time since 2020.

The ultimate two Brits standing on Tuesday have been Dan Evans and Katie Boulter. Evans performed beneath the roof of Courtroom Suzanne-Lenglen towards No.13 seed Holger Rune, whereas Boulter tackled Paula Badosa late within the night after rain performed havoc with the schedule on day 3 of the French Open.

Evans ended up falling to a fired-up Rune in straight units — 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 — and was left irritated by some delays within the third set. Boulter was additionally defeated, working Badosa shut however ultimately falling 4-6, 7-5, 6-4.

Sadly for the British contingent, meaning all six singles hopefuls have exited the match on the opening hurdle for the fourth time this century. Jack Draper and Andy Murray misplaced on Sunday, Cameron Norrie and Harriet Dart adopted on Monday, after which Evans and Boulter have been defeated on Tuesday.

Although this match has not historically been the strongest floor for the British contingent, there have been some memorable runs, the latest being Murray making the 2016 closing solely to fall to Novak Djokovic. However there was to be no British run this outing.

“It is simply been a little bit of a troublesome match I believe,” Evans mentioned. “I believe we’re really in the most effective spot we have been in with the clay for a very long time. I believe Draper will win lots of matches right here, all over the place. I simply suppose it’s kind of of a not an amazing match. It is simply the way it’s panned out. We obtained a great deal of doubles gamers although.”

Draper was first up on Sunday however misplaced his first spherical tie towards Jesper de Jong on Sunday in 5 units. Murray was within the night time session towards previous foe Stan Wawrinka but it surely was Wawrinka who got here by in straight units 6-4, 6-4, 6-2.

On Monday, Norrie was favorite towards Pavel Kotov however fell in 5 units to the Russian qualifier — Kotov successful 4-6, 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (5), 6-2. Norrie was visibly exasperated at his personal efficiency afterwards. Elsewhere on day two at Roland Garros, Dart misplaced in straight units to Linda Noskova 7-6 (3), 6-4.

And on Tuesday as the primary spherical got here to a detailed, Evans, 34, misplaced to No.13 seed Rune, 21, and was left pissed off at two disruptions within the third set.

Having misplaced the primary two units 6-4, Evans was a break as much as lead 4-2 within the third set. Throughout that sixth recreation, Rune contested umpire Jaume Campistol’s choice to award him a code violation for racquet abuse, and within the seventh recreation — on Evans’ serve — the 2 had a prolonged dialogue over a line name, a lot to Evans’ frustration. Evans was heard saying to the umpire on the changeover: “He would not want a dialog on my serve. Let the f—— match play.

“Do your job! You do not have to have a dialog with him. It is twice in two video games.”

From there, Rune broke again and went on to take the match 6-4, 6-4, 6-4.

“I am fed up with the umpires, flat full cease,” Evans mentioned afterwards. “One second he has a dialog the sport earlier than as a result of he has hit his racket. I do not care if he needs a dialog on his serve, but it surely’s not likely a dialog on the opposite one. I [felt] like I am in a roll and I used to be disrupted, but it surely’s not Rune’s fault if he is allowed to have a dialog. It is fairly easy however I believe that has to get a bit higher.

“I do not suppose there was any points with the decision or him to be trustworthy, he was nice. It was only a chat. And I am ready to serve. It is freezing on the courtroom. The match was flowing nice after which simply stopped within the center and I do not perceive what the umpire’s… however anyway, that is not the explanation I misplaced and that is simply a part of the difficulty, a part of the issue, however he’ll be again in work once more tomorrow.”

Boulter was the final remaining Brit hope. She began brilliantly towards Badosa, powering to the primary set and was a break up within the second, just for Badosa to interrupt twice and take that 7-5. There was nothing to separate the 2 within the third set till Badosa broke within the tenth recreation to take the third set 6-4 and the match.