Former British number one Dan Evans has sharply criticized the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) and Wimbledon officials following his controversial omission from the men's singles wildcard draw for his final tournament.
Evans, who concluded his professional career at Wimbledon, described the handling of his retirement as a "piss-take" and a "shambles," stating that no one from the LTA possessed the courage to provide him with a reason for the decision. He played his final match in the men's doubles on Court 15 alongside young Brit Henry Searle, a match which ended in defeat. Post-match, an emotional Evans was moved to tears as he received a standing ovation from the crowd.
"Nobody has given me a decent reason," Evans stated. "If they said, listen, you're a bit overweight right now. No, I'm serious. Like, you're a bit out of shape but nobody's had the minerals or however you want to phrase it to come over from the governing body, who I think I have done plenty for, and given me an explanation."
He felt that someone from the LTA should have initiated a conversation to explain the decision. "I just think somebody could have come and, you know, sit down and speak. Like, jeez, they get paid enough. Like that's their job. I'm not angry, but jeez, tell the truth."
Wimbledon's main draw men's singles wildcard list included eight players, with six other British players receiving spots alongside Grigor Dimitrov and the also-retiring Stan Wawrinka. Tim Henman, a former British number one, explained on BBC punditry that the LTA presents recommendations to a wildcard committee, which then makes the final decision. He noted that six British players were considered ahead of Evans for main draw wildcards. Dimitrov was included due to his previous performance at the tournament and strong showing before an injury, while Wawrinka's status as a three-time Grand Slam champion was also a factor.
Hnenman added, "Perhaps if there had been 12 or 13 main draw wildcards he would have got one but unfortunately it wasn't to be."
Evans indicated he had an inkling he might be overlooked when he did not receive a wildcard for the ATP Challenger Ilkley tournament earlier in the month. "You can't give me a wildcard into Ilkley," Evans said. "The reasoning was they was all given out. I have been playing tennis for 16 years on the tour, and I have always known that the wildcards aren't given out on a Monday. Listen, I would have loved to play singles. Don't give me some nonsense answer about they're all gone to Ilkley. Come on, guys. That's a total p***-take for me."
Evans also pointed out his past commitment to British tennis, including sacrificing ranking points to play alongside Andy Murray in the Paris Olympics. "I was out there helping another Brit when I've been injured. I didn't see any of those guys out there helping Henry when he needed help. So that was my point. It's nothing against the club, but somebody come and have a conversation."
He expressed disappointment at the lack of communication and well wishes during his final tournament. "Communication is a big thing in tennis. That's my point. Are they working this week? I have not seen any of them. Seriously. No one spoke to me this week. No one has congratulated me on my career this week."
Despite the controversy surrounding his singles wildcard, Evans acknowledged the positive aspects of his departure. "It was nice to finish playing with Henry, someone who I have obviously started to work a lot with and see sort of develop a bit. It's a pretty cool way to finish." He added that while he had ample time to prepare for his retirement, he was ultimately happy to close that chapter. "Sort of the door closes, and then another chapter starts."
