Dan Evans threatens to ban dad from Novak Djokovic clash at Wimbledon

Dan Evans joined the Brits rampage on the fairway to heaven at Wimbledon - as his father teed off on a golf trip. The former bad boy of British tennis reached the second round with a straight sets 6-1, 7-5, 6-2 win against compatriot Jay Clarke.

But his father, David, missed Evans going beyond the first round for only the fourth time in 10 Wimbledon campaigns because of a pre-booked golf expedition.

Once ranked as high as No.21 in the world but now in the long rough outside the top 150, Evans playfully scolded his father afterwards, smiling: "I tend not to bring a lot of people to tournaments, but this year I've decided to have a lot of family and friends here.

"Well, friends at least - my dad thought a round of golf was more important! He had a golf trip planned. He said he might leave a day early. But I might not want him to come now!"

And that second round opponent could be Novak Djokovic, if the Serb beats Alexandre Muller on Centre Court on Tuesday evening.

Evans was on court the night Andy Murray bowed out of tennis at the Paris 2024 Olympics 11 months ago, when he was reduced almost to a walk-on part amid the fanfares and passing-out pomp.

But at 35, a decent run in SW19 would put him firmly centre stage and he said: "Of course it was Andy's night, but to clarify he never made me feel like that because he's a class act."

Evans claimed British tennis was "in great spot at the minute" - and 10 players in the singles second round would suggest he has a point.

"These events are not where you judge British tennis," he said. "Everybody who takes wild cards has a great level. All of the players who are a direct entry have a great level.

"It needs to be (produced) in the other tournaments. That's just a fact. We need to be coming back in years to come with more people main draw.

"I think 23 players across both singles is an amazing accomplishment for the LTA and really shows how they're backing their players.

"It's amazing that our men and women are getting backed so well. But they have to go away now and pay back that faith,

"Hopefully they think, 'I want to be here in the main draw next year' than having to ask (for a wild card) again.

"That's what the wild card is for - to use the prize money, to invest it in yourself, not to sit back and rest on our laurels, which has happened in previous years."

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