Dan Evans’ dip in form for wildcard snub puts Wimbledon in a bind

Dan Evans had a decision to make. With the Olympics approaching, but clashing with the Washington Open, he had to choose between defending his title there or representing Team GB in France. The Washington Open was only the second ATP ­tournament Evans had ever won, and the most prestigious. There were 500 points to come off his ranking, ­sending him tumbling down. He picked Paris, pairing up with Andy Murray for the doubles tournament, where a thrilling run to the quarter-finals represented Murray’s last hurrah in professional tennis.

Fidelity to your nation is not a strongly held principle in tennis but Evans’s decision represented a commitment to both his country and his compatriot which was lauded. His ranking never truly recovered as injuries and a dip in form left him struggling to pick up points.

It is within this context that Wimbledon’s supposed snub of Evans this week should be understood. The tournament announced its wildcards – places in the main draw given to those who do not qualify automatically as a result of their ranking – this week, but there was no room for Evans on that list. Instead the 36-year-old, who has already announced this will be his final season in tennis, will head to Roehampton to go through qualifying.

With eight wildcards in the men’s singles draw, Wimbledon’s official rationale is that they are awarded to players “on the basis of past performance or to increase British interest”. Wimbledon tends to make a couple of offers to overseas players before prioritising its own British players. This can also act as a financial lifeline for low-ranked Brits – a player who loses in the first round this year will pocket £80,000.

Three-time grand slam winner Stan Wawrinka has been offered one, as has Grigor Dimitrov, who was forced to retire injured in the fourth round last year when he was two sets up on eventual winner Jannik Sinner. The remaining six have gone to British hopes Jacob Fearnley, Arthur Fery, Felix Gill, Jack Pinnington Jones, Toby Samuel and Henry Wendelken.

Evans had already spoken out about Queen’s Club’s refusal to give him a wildcard for this week’s tournament, saying it would have been a “classy ­gesture” if they had chosen to do so. He lost to 32-year-old American Marcos Giron in the first round of qualifying.

That result in effect shows Wimbledon’s bind. Evans has not won a tour-level match since last July, at his old faithful the Washington Open. Meanwhile, Arthur Fery, who was given a wildcard into Queen’s, won two matches on his way to a first ATP Tour quarter-final. He should have made it to the semi-final but squandered a number of breaks of serve in his 6-7, 6-3, 4-6 loss to world No 27 Francisco Cerundolo. Regardless, the wildcard has clearly been of far greater benefit to him, and he will rise to a career-high ranking of 118 as a result.

The relatively small number of wildcards available, and the paucity of well-ranked British tennis players who automatically enter the draw, means Wimbledon will always be at risk of being accused of the snub. Evans’s status as a former British No 1 certainly makes him a more familiar name than Wendelken or Samuel. It is perfectly feasible that neither player will ever eclipse his achievements. But it is hard to argue based on age and form that Evans is de facto more deserving than them given he has never even made it past the third round of the competition.

For certain players it is clear that form does not have to be a problem. The wildcard that will draw the most attraction at the All England club in a week’s time will be in the women’s doubles where two sisters have been selected. Venus and Serena Williams twice won the ­doubles competition as wildcards, in 2000 and 2002. Some decisions are easier to make than others.

Photograph by Craig Mercer/Alamy