Evans criticizes Queen's wildcard decision ahead of Wimbledon

Former British number one Dan Evans criticized the lack of a wildcard at the Queen's tournament but expressed hope for a place at Wimbledon. The 36-year-old announced last week his intention to retire after Wimbledon, but the tournament organizers did not grant him entry to the main draw.

Evans had participated in only two tournaments in 2026 due to injuries, dropping to 244th in the rankings. Instead of a wildcard, he entered the qualifying rounds and was eliminated in the first round by American sixth seed Marcos Giron. Jack Pinnington Jones, Arthur Fery, and Toby Samuel were awarded the three wildcards, all ranked higher than Evans in the world’s top 150.

"You hope to do enough years of service for your country to maybe get one in your last tournament at Queen's, but that wasn't the way they went," Evans remarked. He had previously achieved a career-high ranking of 21st in 2023, stating that it would have been "a classy gesture" to be considered for a wildcard.

Evans expressed confusion over the Lawn Tennis Association’s (LTA) decision not to offer him a main draw place, emphasizing his professionalism as a tennis player ready to compete.

Tatjana Maria, the women’s title holder from Queen's in 2025, also did not receive a wildcard and was forced to go through qualifying.

The Wimbledon wildcards are set to be announced on Tuesday, and Evans awaits the decision regarding his entry into the main draw. The All England Club can allocate up to eight wildcards for the men’s singles main draw. Despite his current ranking ensuring a place in qualifying, the committee has the discretion to elevate him based on his past performances or to bolster British interest in the tournament.

"If they give me one or not, it's not up to me," Evans added. He pointed out his contributions to British tennis both on and off the court, hoping for a positive outcome.