Dan Evans reveals 'heartbreak' of five-set US Open defeat to Stan Wawrinka
Sunday 4 September 2016 09:49, UK
Dan Evans could not hide his heartbreak after wasting a match point en route to a five-set defeat to Stan Wawrinka in the US Open third round.
Evans twice led by a set and had match point in the fourth against the world No 3, but he failed to convert as Wawrinka came back to win 4-6 6-3 6-7 7-6 6-2.
The British No 2 left Louis Armstrong Stadium to a standing ovation, but it was Wawrinka who advanced to meet Ukraine's Illya Marchenko in the last 16.
"It's a bit of a heart-breaker really," Evans said. "I don't really know what to say. It was a tough one to take.
"It'll probably hurt a bit for a while. It's disappointing, how it played out."
Evans, ranked world No 64, took control after winning a thrilling third-set tie-break and his biggest chance came in the fourth when, in another tie-break, he led 6-5 for match point.
Wawrinka escaped with a cool volley and then Evans handed away the initiative at 7-7 when he failed to finish off a smash.
Three points later, the Swiss served out the set before storming clear in the fifth to seal a momentous triumph.
"I've never been in that situation before, especially against someone as good as him. It's just not easy, is it?" added Evans.
"Being that close, I was thinking about winning the match. Whoever says you don't think about winning the match at that point is full of it.
"I'm thinking about that smash, 'put it away'. I hit it down the middle. The small things in those matches make big differences.
"Why I hit it down the middle - I never hit the smash ever down the middle - is beyond me."
"I was physically pretty tired," Evans said. "Subconsciously, mentally as well, I was hurt a bit in the fifth set. He's obviously a class opponent. I sort of knew that was the chance in the fourth set."
