WATCH: Dan Evans gets big rankings boost as he follows up seven-match losing streak with Washington title
Dan Evans turned his 2023 season around in the blink of an eye as he won the biggest title of his career on Sunday, defeating Tallon Griekspoor in the Citi DC Open final.
The British No 2 started the ATP 500 hard-court tournament on the back of a seven-match losing streak – which included first-round exits from the French Open, Queen’s Club and Wimbledon – but he won five consecutive matches to notch up his second ATP Tour singles title.
Evans had taken out second seed Frances Tiafoe and fifth seed Grigor Dimitrov en route to the final while 12th seed Griekspoor had beaten 16th seed JJ Wolf and top seed Taylor Fritz to reach his third final of the year.
But Evans produced one of his best-ever displays as he won 7-5, 6-3 in one hour and 41 minutes.
“I wasn’t playing very well and I wasn’t happy with my game. To do the work I’ve done and to stick with it and come through is [amazing],” the 33-year-old said.
“The last game sort of summed up my week. I got out of trouble and it was an amazing week. I really appreciate all the support.”
Evans may feel he didn’t play well, but the scoreboard suggests otherwise as he was solid on serve in the opening set. He didn’t face a single break point while his Dutch opponent saved two.
The world No 30 eventually broke in game 12 to take the set.
After the first four games of the second set went according to serve, Evans’ charge was stopped by the weather as players left the court for a rain break that lasted more than 90 minutes.
Evans had to bide his time, but the opportunity finally came in game eight as he broke to love before serving it out, although he had to save four break points before winning the match.
The win will see Evans rise to a new career-high No 21 in the ATP Rankings, not bad for someone who hadn’t won a match on the ATP Tour since the Barcelona Open.
Ending his losing streak in style
Since his Barcelona quarter-final win in mid-April, he had lost in the Barcelona semi-final, Madrid Open second round, Italian Open second round, French Open first round, Queen’s Club first round, Wimbledon first round and Atlanta Open second round.
But he dropped only one set in Washington DC and that came at the beginning of the tournament when he defeated Gregoire Barrere in three sets in the first round.
The Washington title is his second after he won the ATP 250 Murray River Open in February 2021.
READ MORE: Dan Evans pledges to continue to be brutally honest about British tennis