Dan Evans keeps dreams of one last Wimbledon alive

British tennis legend Dan Evans kept his dream of one last Wimbledon alive after winning his first qualifying match, buoyed by a passionate British crowd.

The 36-year-old Birmingham local defeated Bolivia’s Juan Carlos Prado Angelo 7-6 (7-2) 6-3 in bright sunshine at the Wimbledon Qualifying and Community Sports Centre.

World No.244 Evans, who recently announced he will retire after the 2026 Championships, was not awarded a wildcard into the singles main draw.

Instead, he must win three consecutive matches to qualify - and he got off to the perfect start on Monday.

“I wasn't great at the start, but I thought he did a good job serving,” said Evans. “I haven't played a bunch of matches, so it's a bit difficult to get into the rhythm.

“Hopefully [it will be] a bit smoother in the next round, but I thought I played pretty decent in the end.”

Former British number one Evans is one of Britain’s most well-known tennis players, having helped the country secure its first Davis Cup title in 79 years in 2015.

He reached as high as 21 in the world in August 2023 and partnered Sir Andy Murray in Murray’s last ever professional match, at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

While he was awarded a wildcard into the men’s doubles main draw with partner Henry Searle, Evans is still two wins away from a singles berth at the All-England Club.

He will face Australian 28th seed Tristan Schoolkate in the second round of qualifying on Wednesday.

For the latest updates on the British summer grass court season, visit the LTA website, lta.org.uk