Australian Open 2017: Dan Evans stuns Marin Cilic in Melbourne
Australian Open 2017: Dan Evans stuns Marin Cilic in Melbourne:- Britain’s Dan Evans caused a major upset by stunning world number seven Marin Cilic to reach the third round of the Australian Open for the first time.
Evans, ranked 51st in the world, fought back from a poor first set to beat the Croat 3-6 7-5 6-3 6-3.
It is the second time the 26-year-old British number three has beaten a player ranked in the world’s top 10.
He will face either Australian Bernard Tomic or Dominican Victor Estrella Burgos in the third round.
Evans, from Birmingham, required three match points to finish off Cilic on his own serve.
“To come through in the last match point was pleasing for me,” he said.
“I struggled with the shade on the court and his pace on the ball was coming through pretty quick, but when the sun went down I got into the match.”
It is the fourth time Evans has progressed to the last 32 of a Grand Slam – he reached the third round of the US Open in 2013 and 2016, and at Wimbledon in 2016.
Evans struggled with an eye problem early in the match and lost his composure as Cilic breezed through the first set in 31 minutes.
However, the Briton grew more confident, frustrating the 2014 US Open champion and forcing him to make a slew of errors.
The final two sets were a tussle, with service breaks from both players, but Evans held his nerve to win.
Compatriots Heather Watson and Naomi Broady were knocked out of the women’s doubles in the first round, losing 7-5 2-6 7-6 (7-5) to Italy’s Karin Knapp and Luxembourg’s Mandy Minella.
Source:-Â http://www.bbc.com/sport/tennis/38661271
