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THE CHAMPIONSHIPS

July 2, 2019

Daniel Evans

Wimbledon, London, England

D. EVANS/F. Delbonis

6-3, 7-6, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. After three years away from the main draw, how does it feel to be back?
DANIEL EVANS: It was obviously great. It's always good to come back to Wimbledon any time of the year, but especially at the Championships. I didn't think I played so good, but got the win. Happy to come through basically, yeah.

Q. You've had so many wins on the grass this summer. Is this the best you feel you ever played?
DANIEL EVANS: Yeah, I'm playing great. It's a difficult match today, obviously he played a lot different to anyone I've come across on the grass. Yeah, just pretty happy to just come through. Ready on Thursday.

Q. In what way was he a different proposition to anyone else? You played a lot.
DANIEL EVANS: Obviously the guys I've been playing have probably wanted to play on the grass. They would suit their game to the grass. He's obviously not won so much on the grass. He was playing a different game style on the grass, you know.

It was pretty slow out there. I thought I did well to come through.

Q. How did it feel at the end when you got that ovation from the home crowd? A bit special after all you've been through.
DANIEL EVANS: Yeah, I mean, it's great that everybody come out to watch. The crowd is always great here. I'm just very happy, you know, to be welcomed back so well. Obviously been away for a little bit from my own doing, so it's good to be back.

Q. You were getting into the latter stages of Grand Slams before the ban. How do you think your level compares?
DANIEL EVANS: It's hard to say. I don't really compare to before the ban and then now after. I'm just trying to stay in, like, this moment, this year, try and just keep working hard, going forwards.

Q. Seems to be a lot of Brits doing well, fingers crossed, at the moment. Are you aware of what's going on? Do you keep in touch with each other, share on social media?
DANIEL EVANS: I don't have social media, so...

Q. That's very good for you. Are you aware and support each other on the grounds?
DANIEL EVANS: Yeah, I'll look at the boards and stuff. It's difficult because everyone has their own days. It's not being ignorant to anybody else. I don't really know who is playing today. I know there's a lot of Brits on.

Q. James Ward is playing.
DANIEL EVANS: I looked at those guys when I come off. That's basically it really. Without being rude to the other guys, I've got my own stuff to do. That's for everybody else, as well. I'm sure they're not checking on me so much either.

Q. With your grass court form, you're one of those players no one is going to want to face. Do you feel confident of your level? Are you bothered about who you play in the next couple rounds?
DANIEL EVANS: I'm just, you know, not worried, but I'm worrying about who I play next more than anything. I have to come through the next round. That will be a real good start to the tournament to get through the next round, whoever I face.

Just focusing on the next round really. I'm sure plenty of people are not so bothered to play me, as well. Not the worst draw out there (smiling).

Q. Does it give you a boost knowing you can actually play on this surface? A lot of people, maybe not the most natural thing.
DANIEL EVANS: No, I mean, everybody told me he hadn't won any matches. But it's almost worse for me. You don't want to be the guy he does win against. That's also not an easy proposition for me.

It's the same. People say, You're so good on grass. That makes me the favorite when it's not easy either. I'm just playing the ball really. See how I go.

Q. Is becoming the British No. 1 a major target for you?
DANIEL EVANS: No (smiling).

Q. Not at all?
DANIEL EVANS: No.

Q. Why not?
DANIEL EVANS: Well, because that means I'm competing against the other Brits. I'm not that way inclined. I don't want to be better than them. I want to be better than the other guys. If I go high in the rankings, that will take care of itself.

We're the only country in the world who says you're the British No. 1 or the et cetera No. 1. Everybody else gets introduced as the world No. 10 or 12. We're British No. 1. We're obsessed with being British No. 1.

It's not a massive thing for me. Hopefully we just keep winning, we all do well.

Q. Why have you got no social media accounts?
DANIEL EVANS: Because I was getting abused when I got banned. I took it off (laughter). It's pretty simple.

Q. You mentioned the court playing a bit slower maybe than you expected. Is it slower than the other tournaments have been this summer? Do you feel that works against your style of play?
DANIEL EVANS: No, I'm not sure if it was the court. It was a great court. They're all good here. It was a great court. It just felt a bit slow because of how he hit the ball. He put a lot of spin on it. I don't think it was so much the court. It actually caught me out a little bit.

I think that was it really. Could have been a bit of me, as well.

Q. Can you recall this exact week last year, which came after you played prequallies, quallies. You weren't involved at all at Wimbledon.
DANIEL EVANS: No.

Q. What were you doing this week last year? I think you're back in the top 60 after today. If somebody said, You'll be back at Wimbledon, top 60, would that have surpassed your expectations?
DANIEL EVANS: No. There was a guy who is with me this week, we were practicing that week. He told me I would be, so that's why we practiced that week. I was practicing every day this time last year. We took nothing off after quallies three days. We practiced every day at the National Tennis Center.

Q. Who was that?
DANIEL EVANS: Dave.

Q. Dave Felgate?
DANIEL EVANS: Yes.

Q. He said at the time?
DANIEL EVANS: He told me I would be back, it wouldn't be an issue. That's why we were practicing that week. I wanted to take some time. He's, No, you're going to practice.

Q. Although it was very much under the radar at the time, do you think that was a bit of a key moment?
DANIEL EVANS: Anyone who's played Wimbledon and is not involved, or when a Grand Slam is on, it's a difficult week to practice. Your head's not there. You want to be at the tournament.

It's not easy practicing, especially, I know it sounds stupid, but where the tournament is, like in London. It's all about Wimbledon this week. I wasn't part of it. I lost in the tournament. It was difficult.

He assured me that that week was important, to keep going. He said I'd be back there. I have to give him credit for quite a lot of the last year.

Q. A lot of players at this level express the feeling of playing with a clear mind. How important is it for you to play freely? What does a sense of freedom on the court mean to you?
DANIEL EVANS: I mean, I try and play as free as possible. Today I was pretty nervous. It was the first time I played here for a long time. Yeah, I wanted to win, as well.

Yeah, it wasn't easy today. But for sure playing with a clear mind is a lot easier than when there's a few other things on your mind. It's the way it is. Sometimes you just have to get through. I'm happy to do that today.

Q. Last few years have been quite difficult. Did you have many doubts you'd get back to this level or did you always believe you'd be playing at Wimbledon again?
DANIEL EVANS: No, it's not easy when you're starting back from nothing. Like I said before, I had a lot of people who were in my corner, stuck with me. They told me I'd be back here.

If you don't believe, it's all right for everyone else to say it, but you've got to believe it yourself.

Q. Thinking back two years ago, it would have been quite soon after the ban. Would you have been practicing that week?
DANIEL EVANS: No, I wouldn't have been practicing. Yeah, it was difficult then to think about coming back. It was only just when I failed.

It was difficult, but you have to give up -- give up? You have to not give up and keep going. It's not easy. No part of this game is easy. That's what I did, just keep going.

Q. The last time you played here was Federer on Centre?
DANIEL EVANS: Yes.

Q. On the flip side, how much was it Wimbledon specifically, this was going to be the tournament that made you get through those hard times, it's worth doing this?
DANIEL EVANS: I mean, this tournament is obviously special in its own way. I can't say this tournament made me come back because there's other things I had to prove to myself to get back. I let a lot of people down more than anything. I had to probably get back for them. Let's be honest, what else am I going to do? Got to earn money somehow (smiling).

Q. If it were to be Ward in the next round, how would you see that matchup?
DANIEL EVANS: What's the score?

Q. 5-All in the fifth.
DANIEL EVANS: What was your question?

Q. If it were to be Ward, how would you see that matchup? All British affair.
DANIEL EVANS: It would be great, wouldn't it? It would be another seed out. To play James Ward, a good draw for him, a good draw for me, you know. Two Brits playing second round, pretty good draw for both, I think. It would be a good match.

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