Daniel Evans wins second ATP Tour title, first ATP 500 title

Posted : 07 August 2023

Daniel Evans secured his second ATP Tour title on Sunday at the Mubadala Citi DC Open, overcoming Tallon Griekspoor in a match that was interrupted by rain. The British 12th seed claimed his first ATP 500 title, marking a significant milestone in his career, with a final score of 7-5, 6-3. His victory was characterized by strong finishes in both sets.

Having achieved a balanced record of 2-2 in tour-level finals, the 33-year-old's remarkable performance in Washington propelled him up nine places in the Pepperstone ATP Live Rankings to a career-high No. 21. This achievement also made him the first British man since Andy Murray in 2006 to reach the final in D.C. and the first to secure the title since Tim Henman in 2003.

Evans entered the tournament amid a six-match losing streak in tour-level matches, yet he demonstrated remarkable resilience by securing 10 consecutive sets on American hard courts after dropping the first set in the opening round against Gregoire Barrere. Notably, he defeated second seed Frances Tiafoe and fifth seed Grigor Dimitrov en route to his championship victory.

Reflecting on his journey, Evans shared, "I wasn't playing very well and I wasn't happy with my game. To do the work I've done and to stick with it and come through is [amazing]. The last game sort of summed up my week. I got out of trouble and it was an amazing week. I really appreciate all the support."

In the final, Evans capitalized on his fourth break point to clinch the opening set with a score of 7-5. However, the momentum was disrupted as rain and lightning led to a pause in the match when the second set was tied 2-2. The delay lasted over 90 minutes.

Evans maintained his composure during the break, highlighting the lighthearted atmosphere in the changing room, even sharing camaraderie with his Dutch opponent, Griekspoor. When the match resumed, Evans continued to dictate play, countering Griekspoor's powerful serves and forehands. His performance was marked by 26 winners and a mere eight unforced errors. He impressively won 16 of his 17 net points throughout the one-hour and 41-minute match.

The British player successfully fended off any break points until the final service game, where he saved four of them. One of the crucial moments was a daring backhand passing shot that thwarted Griekspoor's break opportunity. Evans sealed victory just before rain returned, delivering his trophy speech amid a light drizzle.

Griekspoor aimed to secure his third tour-level title this season, which would have placed him alongside Carlos Alcaraz (6), Daniil Medvedev (5), and Novak Djokovic (3). Instead, Griekspoor remains among the six players who have claimed two singles trophies in 2023. Similar to Evans, his performance in D.C. propelled him to a new career-high ranking of World No. 26 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings.

Daniel Evans wins second ATP Tour title, first ATP 500 title

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