Dan Evans blasts 'disappointing' decision to put none of the Brits in action at Eastbourne on Centre Court and insists it 'wouldn't happen in another country'

Dan Evans questioned the ‘disappointing’ decision to put none of the Brits in action at Eastbourne on Centre Court insisting that it ‘wouldn’t happen in another country’.

Both Evans and Billy Harris competed in the men’s singles quarter-finals on Thursday yet both were scheduled for Court 1 meaning neither match was shown live on the BBC.

Instead they showed the final set of the second-round between Taylor Fritz and Joao Fonseca, that was suspended on Wednesday night due to darkness, before the women’s single’s quarter-final between Anna Blinkova and Maya Joint.

The all-Brit men’s doubles semi-finals of Julian Cash and Lloyd Glasspool against Joe Salisbury and Neal Skupski was played on Court 2.

‘I have questions to why no British player was on centre court today,’ said Evans after his 6-2, 6-3 defeat to American lucky loser Jenson Brooksby. ‘That would be my big thing.

‘Whether it be me, Billy, a doubles…the British fans come here to watch British players, they don’t come to watch anyone else. That’s just a fact. That’s my biggest question. I don’t think it would happen in another country and is just disappointing that it happens here.’

It’s understood the Fritz-Fonseca match not finishing on Wednesday night threw the schedule out and the ATP made the call based on fairness to all players involved so they all had sufficient rest.

As Eastbourne is a joint event between the WTA and the ATP, both their broadcast needs are considered.

Had the Fritz match played to a finish, it’s possible at least one of Evans or Harris would have played on centre court.   

A frustrated Evans had earlier blasted his ‘clueless’ performance as he crashed out of the Eastbourne quarter-finals in straight sets to American lucky loser Jenson Brooksby.

Evans was warned for unsportsmanlike behaviour during his 6-2, 6-3 defeat as he complained about multiple ‘crazy’ line calls that went against him.

When the two shook hands at the net, Brooksby said: ‘Well played, good match.’

‘Was it? It wasn’t for me,’ replied Evans. ‘It was clueless.’

Brooksby didn’t face a single break point during his victory as the American dealt much better with the windy conditions. Evans hit just 11 winners and made 29 unforced errors.

Evans had fought back tears after he beat world No13 Tommy Paul to reach the quarter-final to make it back-to-back wins against top-20 opposition after dispatching world No12 Frances Tiafoe at Queen’s last week. 

The 35-year-old only recently regained his place in the world’s top 200 and has been given a wildcard for Wimbledon next week.

Evans had to battle from the start in the breezy conditions against Brooksby, struggling for any rhythm, and needed to save a break point in an eight-minute opening service game despite having raced into a 40-0 lead.

He faced two more in his second service game and a miscued strike long beyond the baseline handed Brooksby an early break in the first set before the American broke again to make it 4-1.

Brooksby dealt far better with the crosswinds, using his unplayable drop shot to great effect, and allowed Evans to win just two points against his serve in the opening set that he wrapped up 6-2 in 39 minutes.

Evans cut a frustrated figure and continued to question the accuracy of the line-call technology before being given a warning for unsportsmanlike conduct.

He felt a couple of Brooksby’s shots that the technology called in, including one late in the second set, had bounced over the line. ‘It was out,’ called one incredulous supporter.

‘Crazy stuff, puts you on a total downer,’ Evans muttered to himself as Brooksby broke to lead 4-3 in the second set before wrapping up the match soon after.

Evans was the last remaining Brit to fall at Eastbourne after Billy Harris lost in straight sets 7-6, 6-1 to fourth-seed Ugo Humbert as he missed out on reaching the semi-finals for the second year running.

Harris fought back from 5-2 down in the first set, saving two set points, to level at 5-5 before forcing a tie-break only for Frenchman Hubert to claim it 7-4.

Humbert didn’t look back, breaking Harris’s first two service games to race into a 4-0 lead before wrapping up the win with another break to take the second set 6-1.

Harris, who qualified for the tournament as one of the lucky losers, had stunned fellow Brit Cameron Norrie in the first round before dispatching Italian Mattia Bellucci to reach his third ATP quarter-final.