Dan Evans admitted this 12 months’s French Open was “tough” for Britain’s gamers
however insisted the larger image was not as bleak because it regarded on clay.
All six British singles gamers misplaced within the first spherical, the primary time since 2020 that none made it to the center of the opening week.
Evans had arguably the trickiest draw as he misplaced in straight units to Danish thirteenth seed Holger Rune.
Andy Murray, solely not too long ago again from an ankle damage, was overwhelmed by fellow Grand Slam champion Stan Wawrinka and Katie Boulter was edged out by former world No 2 Paula Badosa.
Harriet Dart misplaced a decent match to Czech teenager Linda Noskova, whereas the most important disappointments had been Cameron Norrie, who went down in 5 to 56th-ranked Pavel Kotov, and Jack Draper, overwhelmed by qualifier Jesper De Jong.
However it ought to be remembered that the final time Britain had extra gamers within the singles draw at Roland Garros by rating – there have been seven however Jodie Burrage pulled out injured – was in 1985.
“It’s just been a bit of a tough tournament. I think we’re actually in the best spot we’ve been in on clay for a long time,” mentioned Evans.
“I think Draper will win a lot of matches here and everywhere. I just think it’s not been a great tournament, it’s just how it’s panned out.
“You go around the Tour and it is troublesome. Generally you’ll be able to have 4 within the third spherical and we might all be leaping from the treetops.
“All of the matches are 50/50 – well, mine wasn’t – but you can go both ways. Boulter playing Badosa, anyone think she’d win before the match? It’s a tough match.
“Norrie perhaps, however Kotov performs good on the clay. Draper, okay he had a foul day. Andy and Stan is 50-50. It is powerful. However I keep in mind final 12 months we had been saying how good all of us had been at Wimbledon.
“If we got four in the fourth round at Wimbledon, we’d say British tennis is flying. But we play on grass for three weeks.”
Katie Boulter’s defeat to Paula Badosa was most likely probably the most agonising of the lot
Boulter’s defeat was most likely probably the most agonising of the lot as she led Badosa by a set and a break and wasted three break factors for 6-5 within the second.
“I can’t speak for the others,” she mentioned. “I’ve worked so hard to be in this position and I lost out in the finest of margins. Ultimately I’ve done the best I can. I’ll keep doing the best I can.
“I wish to spend extra time on it as a result of I feel loads of gamers can play nicely on it.”
British No 3 Burrage, who withdrew Roland Garros because of an ankle damage, is known to be present process exams and hopes to be match for Wimbledon.
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Boulter and Alex de Minaur head to the park to debate the early levels of their relationship and the way life has modified previously 12 months
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