Frances Tiafoe on Monday fell to a first-round exit at Queen’s Club as veteran Briton Dan Evans rolled back the years, while fourth seed Holger Rune eased through.
Evans, who needed a wild card for his place in the draw after sliding to No. 199 in the world rankings, proved too good for the seventh seed in a 7-5, 6-2 win.
“I still believed I’ve got that tennis in me and I still believe I can do good things inside the top 100, but believing it and it happening is a lot different,” Evans said after winning the first men’s singles match at the newly christened Andy Murray Arena.
Photo: Reuters
The 35-year-old was a fitting victor as he had partnered Murray in his final match before retirement in the men’s doubles at the Paris Olympics.
“A few people mentioned it, that I had finished with him in his last match and then played the men’s event, the first match,” Evans said. “It was pretty cool to do that.”
Rune had no such problems as the Dane eased into his grass-court season with a 6-3, 6-4 win over Australian lucky loser Christopher O’Connell.
British No. 2 Jacob Fearnley joined Evans in round two after he made short work of Australia’s Alex Bolt with a 6-2, 6-4 victory, but there was disappointment for another home favorite in Cameron Norrie, who was beaten 7-6 (8/6), 1-6, 6-1 by Czech rising star Jakub Mensik.
The 19-year-old, who defeated Novak Djokovic to win the Miami Masters in March, next faces Roberto Bautista Agut, who edged out Nuno Borges 6-7 (6/8), 7-5, 6-4.
Qualifier Mackenzie McDonald got the better of 38-year-old Gael Monfils 6-4, 6-4.
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