Dan Evans ends career with emotional Wimbledon doubles defeat

Dan Evans ended his professional career on Court 15 at Wimbledon, where he and 20-year-old Henry Searle lost to ninth seeds Hugo Nys and Edouard Roger-Vasselin in the final match of his 17-year run. The farewell was briefly interrupted early on by a loud fire alarm near the court.

Evans, 36, had announced on June 11 that he would retire after Wimbledon, saying tennis had given him everything and that representing Great Britain in Davis Cup and Olympic competition was the greatest honour of his career. Evans had coached Searle during 2026 before the pair joined forces in the men’s doubles draw on a wildcard.

After the defeat, Evans reflected on the sacrifice behind his career and on the rare chance to finish where he had spent so many important days of his life. “It’s emotional... Everything was worth it in the end,” Evans said, adding that anyone thinking about putting in the work should know it is worth it. He had also said before the tournament that he was happy with his decision to retire and had looked back fondly on his 2016 Centre Court meeting with Roger Federer, one of his most memorable Wimbledon nights.

Evans leaves with a career-high ATP ranking of No. 21, reached in August 2023, and two ATP Tour singles titles, in Melbourne in 2021 and Washington in 2023. His professional path began with a tour-level debut at Queen’s Club in 2008, before he won his first ATP Tour match there in 2013. He was part of Great Britain’s 2015 Davis Cup-winning team and partnered Andy Murray at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Scott Lloyd, Lawn Tennis Association chief executive, said British tennis hoped to retain Evans’s experience and expertise. Murray described him as an “unbelievably talented” and highly competitive player who loves British tennis.