'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
British tennis veteran Dan Evans lashed out at Great Britain's "insulting" decision to overlook him for their doubles matches. The Brit also hinted at quitting Great Britain's Davis Cup team if things do not change in the future.
The 32-year-old is no stranger to Great Britain's Davis Cup ties. He joined the team at one of his nation's lowest points — following demoting to the third tier of international tennis after losing a tight match to Poland in 2009.
Over the last 13 years, he has participated in 30 singles matches for Great Britain and was a member of the Andy Murray-led 2015 Davis Cup team which won the competition just six years after being demoted.
In a conversation with inews, Even spoke about feeling "insulted" at not being picked to play in the doubles despite having a good record in the category.
"It’s f**king annoying. It’s disappointing. To be frank, it’s a bit insulting also that I haven’t been picked ever to play the Davis Cup [in doubles]," Dan Evans said.
The doubles World No. 83 also added that he had no issues with the other guys. He further added that he did not need to prove how good he is at doubles to earn a spot on the team.
"This is meant in the nicest possible way to the doubles guys, there’s nothing against them – but I don’t need to play doubles on the tour to prove how good I am at doubles. When I do, I normally do okay," he explained.
He criticized the notion that only higher-ranked players would be a better pick because they do not always "fit" the game style.
“I think we need to look past doubles rankings for a Davis Cup tie and if a game style fits or a game style doesn’t then maybe we should be picking other people," he added.
When the Germans defeated Neal Skupski and Joe Salisbury in the quarterfinals of the 2021 Davis Cup finals in Innsbruck, team captain Leon Smith asked Evans to play only in the singles.
“It’s frustrating as I said, and a bit insulting as well. It’s something I have to think about going forward if I want to put myself in that position again to keep going there and we’re not getting the right results," he stated.
Dan Evans will lock horns with Constant Leisteinne in European Open 2R
Fifth seed Dan Evans will take on Constant Leistenne in the second round (Round of 16) of the European Open in Antwerp, Belgium on Wednesday. The Brit earlier beat Tallon Griekspoor 6-3, 6-4 in the opening round.
The winner of the match between Evans and Leistenne will face either Felix Auger-Aliassime or the winner of the clash between Manuel Guinard and Geoffrey Blancaneaux.
