Australian Open 2017: Dan Evans' challenge ended by Jo-Wilfried Tsonga
Britain’s Dan Evans had his best run at a Grand Slam ended by a 6-7 (4-7) 6-2 6-4 6-4 loss to Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the last 16 of the Australian Open.
Evans, ranked 51 in the world, started off promisingly as he traded blows with the Frenchman before winning the opening set on a tie-break.
But Tsonga’s heavy hitting and big serving took its toll as the 12th seed won the next three sets.
Tsonga will play 2014 champion Stan Wawrinka in the quarter-finals.
Evans, who reached his first ATP final this month and beat former US Open champion Marin Cilic and home favourite Bernard Tomic to reach the last 16, survived long enough to be the last remaining Briton in the men’s singles after Andy Murray’s shock defeat by Mischa Zverev.
He had to fend off four break points in the first set, while having only one on the Tsonga serve, before threatening to repeat the shocks of earlier rounds by taking the tie-break.
However, Tsonga heeded the warning and quickly went 4-0 up in the second set as he began to dominate Evans with his powerful and accurate hitting.
While Evans sporadically threatened the 2008 finalist, and managed 43 winners to Tsonga’s 59, the Frenchman was always in control after the first set and won the match with a service game to love.
“Dan played good tennis and he had nothing to lose,” said Tsonga.
“It was difficult for me because he was hitting the ball really early. After that the game was pretty difficult, then I went over him and finished strong.
“I’ve played pretty good since the start of the tournament. It will be a good challenge against Stan Wawrinka – he’s playing unbelievably.”