"There's obviously a big prize at the end of it - there's no friendship on the court, it'll hopefully just be business as usual."
Thursday 21 June 2018 20:15, UK
Dan Evans will meet his friend Marcus Willis in the second round of Wimbledon pre-qualifying on Friday after both won their respective matches on Thursday afternoon.
The world No 340 built on his encouraging form with a convincing 6-2 6-4 victory over Evan Hoyt in which he consistently held his serve at Southlands College near the All England Club. Willis overcame fellow Briton Patrick Foley by the same scoreline.
Evans will need to win a further five matches in the coming week if he is to reach Wimbledon and secure the £39,000 prize money awarded to those who play in the first round, but also knows that he will have to do so at the expense of one of his friends.
Few within tennis are closer to the 28-year-old Evans than Willis, aged 27 and the world No 730. Evans was overlooked for a Wimbledon wildcard following his one-year suspension for a drugs offence, testing positive for cocaine in April 2017, but has won 17 of the 22 matches he has played since his return two months ago.
He showed signs of frustration during more than one argument with the umpire on Thursday, yet he insisted he was relishing the route he is having to pursue to Wimbledon, which begins on July 2.
"No one should feel hard done by playing here," he said. "It's three good matches before qualifying. When you look around the facilities are better than most of these guys are used to playing.
"Especially for the British guys, it's a great opportunity to earn some prize money.
"It was difficult, obviously. They don't have that much help - it was only an umpire and one line judge, so it's difficult. The courts are very close together, that's for sure. It's so different. The courts are very close and there are balls going everywhere, but I got used to it.
"(I feel) happiness to be back playing; happy to be out there fighting against some of the other British guys."
"I played well. It's good to win a first round - it's always difficult at a new tournament. I obviously lost first round this week (on Tuesday to Adrian Mannarino at Queen's) so it was nice to get through this one.
"I'm playing well. It's difficult to get going again but I played well, and my body feels good.
"(I feel) happiness to be back playing; happy to be out there fighting against some of the other British guys."
If he overcomes Willis, Evans will have to play again on Friday afternoon, the first time since his return that he will have had to play twice in a day.
"It's a good opportunity to get through to the last round of qualifiers," he said. "There's obviously a big prize at the end of it - there's no friendship on the court, it'll hopefully just be business as usual.
"I'm not sure me or Marcus Willis add too much to Wimbledon. It's a great tournament even if we don't play.
"It'd be difficult, a new challenge - I've not played two matches since I've been back - but hopefully it'll be OK."
We have tennis coverage from the ATP Tour as Roger Federer bids for another title at the Gerry Weber Open in Halle. Watch the action live on Sky Sports Arena all this week.
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