THE CHAMPIONSHIPS

July 1, 2026

Daniel Evans

Henry Searle

Press Conference

NYS-ROGER-VASSELIN/Evans-Searle

6-2, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Guys, could you just give us a bit of an overview of the match today to start things off.

DANIEL EVANS: You get some practice in, mate. I won't have to do this anymore.

HENRY SEARLE: Yeah, I thought we got off to a bit of a slow start. Myself more so. Yeah, and then we're trying to get ourselves back in it. Stuck with them for most of the second, and I managed to get the break back, but then didn't manage to hold after. Yeah, that was it.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. Congratulations, Dan. Great career.

DANIEL EVANS: Thanks.

Q. How did that all feel out there for you? Was it what you expected during the match and then the emotions that sort of came afterwards?

DANIEL EVANS: I mean, it was obviously two extra players on the court than what I expected how it was going to finish. But listen, I have enjoyed every time I stepped on court here. We're extremely lucky to have this as our home Grand Slam.

It was nice to finish playing with Henry, someone who I have obviously started to work a lot with and see sort of develop a bit. It's a pretty cool way to finish.

And, yeah, I have had plenty of time to sort of know it was coming. So, yeah, in a strange way I'm happy it's over (smiling). Sort of the door closes, and then another chapter starts, yeah.

Q. Congratulations on your career, Dan. Do you wish you were on a bigger court perhaps? Felt like it was standing room only out there.

DANIEL EVANS: Listen, I actually messaged someone a minute ago saying it was quite cool that it was Court 15. I had never been out there.

I mean, yeah, it was all a bit fitting for how the last month has gone for me. It was pretty cool that, you know, the ground passes got on, and I enjoyed every minute of it.

Q. I add my congratulations to everyone else's. Thank you for everything you have done with us over the years. It's been good fun. You seem quite sanguine how the last month has gone. Have you made some sort of peace with it? You have been unhappy at various points.

DANIEL EVANS: I have no real view on... I just don't understand the reasoning for, and nobody has given me a decent reason. If they said, Listen, you're a bit overweight right now. No, I'm serious. Like, You're a bit out of shape.

But nobody's had the minerals or however you want to phrase it to come over from the governing body, who I think I have done plenty for, and given me an explanation, you know.

I think that's just... It's pride, isn't it? I don't know. Is that the word? And if you're not going to do that, and it's certainly not Jamie Baker's job to come and give me the reason why he didn't give me a wildcard. It's not the tournament director to do that.

I just think somebody could have come and, you know, sit down and spoke. Like, jeez, I paid enough. Like that's their job. And that's all.

I'm not angry, but jeez, tell the truth or, like, you can't give me a wildcard into Ilkley. The reasoning was they was all given out. I have been playing tennis for 16 years on the tour, and I have always known that the wildcards aren't given out on a Monday.

Monday before a ball is hit on the grass courts in Birmingham, how have the wildcards gone? We've not got a massive pool of players. So I don't care about the wildcard.

Listen, I would have loved to play singles, but... We all know why that is. Don't give me some nonsense answer about they're all gone to Ilkley. Come on, guys. That's a total piss-take for me. Excuse my French.

If you can't have a conversation and be honest... Listen, if they turned around and say, Listen, you've hardly played. But it was, like, You're a coach, you're not getting one.

No, I was out there helping another Brit when I've been injured. I didn't see any of those guys out there helping Henry when he needed help. So that was my point. It's nothing against the club, but somebody come and have a conversation.

You know, communication is a big thing in tennis. That's my point. You know, are they working this week? I have not seen any of them. Serious. No one spoke to me this week. No one has congratulated me on my career this week, yeah.

Q. Dan, since the match finished, you may not have seen this, but there has been a load of posts on the LTA Twitter feed celebrating your career, tribute from Andy Murray, et cetera, et cetera. Does that make you feel better about things?

DANIEL EVANS: I enjoyed playing Davis Cup for my country more than I can tell you. It's the best, the best thing ever.

But the last month has been nothing short of a shambles from them. That's the bottom line. You speak to people; you talk to people.

So yeah, anyway, but listen, it's nice that you feel appreciated and that they thought I've helped in some way. Again, I don't think we should play tennis to get validation off certain, you know, people or whatever.

I think it's important that that reaches the kids or people who are trying to become players. You know, we've got to do certain things to inspire them. I think sometimes that gets lost on as players being selfish, of course, because you're in the moment.

But it's important to give a bit back as well, yeah. So hopefully those things inspire people to play.

Q. Henry, how great has it been to have Dan around in the last few months?

HENRY SEARLE: Yeah, it's been amazing. He's started helping me at the start of the year. So yeah, just trying to take in all the information from him. He's obviously been on the tour for such a long time and had a great career.

Yeah, just trying to take in all the information from him. He's been really helpful, as well.

Q. Dan, you mentioned Davis Cup there. 2015, playing in Paris with Andy. Tell us about your highlights and all the favorite bits.

DANIEL EVANS: All of them, really, like every single tie was extremely different. I think the best thing is you see people you've known. Davis Cup, it's a bit different now. The individual coaches have started going a bit more. But you got to know people you didn't know and learn about their knowledge of the game. Maybe some people you didn't think were so good, and you start to build a relationship with them or vice versa.

Yeah, like, just the whole week, it's an impressive setup from the team of people from the LTA set Davis Cup. And, you know, that's sort of the start of my career was Davis Cup. I started to feel like a proper professional, seeing how those guys did it.

You know, then having the physios, the massage, the coaches, and so many different factors to it, and then I was lucky enough to get a chance to play.

Yeah, it was amazing. I started in Braehead, I think; is that right? Braehead Arena in Scotland. Yeah, it's just like anybody, you know, it's gone out the game a bit, there's no doubt about that.

The competition needs to come back in a strong format. I think we should really push for, you know, players from Britain or whatever country to go out there and represent the country. I think it's important.

Q. Dan, congratulations on everything. A couple of years ago you were sort of in Henry's position for Andy. How different are those emotions? Is it harder or easier being the one who is retiring or the partner?

DANIEL EVANS: It's a lot easier playing with Henry than Andy, I can tell you that (laughter).

No, I knew it was sort of going to happen. In all seriousness, Andy actually came in the change rooms and said, Well done. That was nice of him.

No, I felt so much pressure playing with Andy. It was, like... And I never heard noise like that court when we were coming back.

Yeah, I would say they're both very different but both equally as, I'm equally proud as both of them, yeah.

Q. Two things. When you wake up tomorrow, no longer a professional tennis player, what do you think you'll feel and probably not miss?

DANIEL EVANS: I can tell you what I'll feel: hung over (laughter).

Q. Where is the celebration tonight? I presume you'll watch England, as well, to celebrate?

DANIEL EVANS: Yeah, I mean, I'm not actually going to go home and get like I used to when I was young, but I'll have a few beers.

I actually don't know. Just going to watch the football. It's like, yeah, it seems only right at Wimbledon when you lose you can head into the Village, right? That's just what, 100 and -- what draw is it -- 126 other people probably do.

Yeah, no, listen, I'll get round when I get home and I get a bit of time off. I'll sit down with friends, family, and yeah, probably reminisce a bit. Yeah, it's been great.

And just to say thank you to all you guys. You should be extremely proud of how you've wrote about me, good and bad. (Laughter.)