By Ros Satar, in Paris
Evans wilts in the Paris heat – bows out in Roland Garros round 1
By Ros Satar, in Paris
- Tommy Robredo def. Dan Evans 5-7 6-4 6-3 6-1
PARIS, FRANCE – Dan Evans kicked off the British campaigns but what started promisingly soon wilted in the Paris heat as he bowed out to veteran Tommy Robredo.
Tommy Robredo def. Dan Evans 5-7 6-4 6-3 6-1
Kicking off the Brits, Dan Evans struggled in some scorching temperatures in Paris for a first round exit at Roland Garros. Despite being as downbeat about his chances as he could possibly be, in an interview with Eurosport, Evans came out at quite a clip breaking tour veteran Tommy Robredo in the first game as it took the Spaniard a little time to get his eye in.
He did start to get his rhythm though, levelling the set before Evans managed to get the crucial break at the end of the set, closing it out with his second set point for a valuable lead. However he looked to be troubled with a stomach issue as the heat started to get to him.
He started the set in the same way though, breaking Robredo in the opening game before the Spaniard struck back at exactly the same stage. As Evans’ demeanour started to crumble, Robredo took advantage of a flagging Evans to break for the second set.
From there it started to spiral downwards pretty quickly. When the weather might have been expected to cool in the late afternoon, early evening, the temperatures stayed obstinately high, and he whittled away at Evans to close out the match in four sets.
It was a huge win for Robredo whose start of season was delayed with foot surgery but the five-time quarter-finalist advanced in the extreme heat. Evans admitted he had to be sick having eaten not long before his match was called – the retirement meant that the players had to be ready far quicker than that had expected.
He told reporters: “I was just struggling a bit. It was hot. Yeah, I just — obviously, retirement before and I — I hadn’t ate that long before, so I was struggling with that for quite a while. But, yeah, that’s the way it is.
“The first time, yeah, I just, obviously, threw up a little bit. It was just sitting in my stomach, so I thought it was the best thing to do sort thing.
“I had actually come out and played pretty good for the start of the second. But, you know, it’s difficult. I find it especially difficult on my serve on this surface to get on top in the rallies.”
Roland Garros first round matches continue on Monday at 11am (10am BST).
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