US Open 2024: Dan Evans comes through longest match in tournament's history to reach round two - ‘I'm immensely proud’

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Britain's Dan Evans admitted he was "immensely proud" after coming through a marathon encounter with Karen Khachanov to reach the second round of the US Open. The Brit trailed 4-0 in the deciding set and faced break points before winning 6-7(6) 7-6(2) 7-6(4) 4-6 6-4 in the longest match in the tournament's history. He now has 48 hours to recover before facing Argentina's Mariano Navone next.

Evans 'immensely proud I've come through' after longest US Open match in history

Video credit: SNTV

An exhausted Dan Evans beamed with pride after coming from 4-0 down in the fifth set to beat Karen Khachanov in the longest match in US Open history.

Evans, 34, saved four break points to avoid going 5-0 down in the decider before producing a stunning comeback to win 6-7(6) 7-6(2) 7-6(4) 4-6 6-4 in five hours and 35 minutes.

“I'm immensely proud that I come through the match,” Evans said after the match. “I think that's the overriding feeling more than anything.

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“I've had a lot of first rounds this year. It's nice to win a match.

“Obviously it was a long match. But, yeah, that's the overriding feeling is to still be able to win at this level, you know, you always have doubts when you've been not winning.

“That's normal in any walk of life. If you're not doing well, you have doubts. It's no different in tennis.”

Evans has endured a difficult season to this point. He has won just four ATP Tour matches and slumped outside the world’s top 175 after opting to play doubles with Andy Murray at the Paris Olympics instead of defending his Washington Open title.

And his encounter with Khachanov looked set to end in further disappointment, letting five set points slip in the opener before losing a close tie-break.

However, he displayed all his battling qualities to respond. Evans broke when his opponent was serving for a two-set lead and levelled when he won the subsequent tie-break.

He then moved ahead after another tie-break in the third set before Khachanov sent the contest to a deciding set.

The Russian closed on victory when he broke Evans twice to take a 4-0 lead in the fifth and had four break points for 5-0, but Evans somehow survived and turned the set and match on its head.

There were break points in every game except one in an absorbing final set, but it was the Brit who produced when it mattered most to complete an incredible win on his third match point.

“I was trying to just play, stay out there as long as possible at 4-0 and just see where I could get myself,” he added. “Again, I'll say it, it's the longest I've ever been on a court.

“In the fourth set, I had to check the set to see what set we were in. I wasn't entirely sure what set we was in. But, yeah, I don't really want to do that again. That's for sure.”

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After he and Murray saved match points in two consecutive matches in the men’s doubles at the Olympics, it was hard not to draw parallels to his latest fightback.

In the heat of the moment, Evans admitted he “didn't really think about it” before adding: “I just kept looking at the clock really to try and just hang in, hang in. But, yes, another pretty good comeback I guess.

“That's three in a matter of months. Yeah, nuts.”

Next up for Evans is an encounter with Argentina’s Mariano Navone in the second round on Thursday.

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