Dan Evans is back in the Wimbledon second round after a four-year absence.
The British world number 154 battled through his first round match at Wimbledon, defeating compatriot Jay Clarke 6-1 7-5 6-2.
However, Evans now faces the ultimate test in tennis: defeating Novak Djokovic. The Serbian will be eager to advance quickly past Evans, after struggling with a stomach issue during his first match against Alexandre Muller.
Despite the daunting task awaiting Evans, there is one particular statistic that will give the Brit some hope heading into Thursday’s clash.
Dan Evans holds a superior head-to-head record over Novak Djokovic
Despite the enormous difference in their rankings, Dan Evans has proven to Novak Djokovic in the past that he is more than capable of beating him.
Remarkably, Evans holds the advantage over Djokovic when it comes to their head-to-head record.
In 2021, Evans went on a remarkable run at the Monte-Carlo Masters, knocking out three seeded players on his way to the semi-final.
One of these seeded players was Djokovic, whom Evans beat in convincing fashion, 6-4 7-5. Evans also beat Hubert Hurkacz and David Goffin at the tournament, before losing to Stefanos Tsitsipas.
Against Djokovic in 2021, Evans saved seven of Djokovic’s 10 break-point opportunities, while also winning 43 per cent of points on Djokovic’s first serve.
Who could Dan Evans play if he upsets Novak Djokovic?
There can be little doubt that if Dan Evans were to beat Novak Djokovic, it would be one of the greatest upsets in Wimbledon history.
Despite his age, Djokovic has continued to demonstrate that he can match the likes of Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz.
However, Djokovic could be hampered by a stomach issue that arose during his first round match against Alexandre Muller. The Serbian player, who recently revealed what other players think of Evans, also has the extra pressure of attempting to equal Roger Federer’s record of eight Wimbledon titles.
Evans will face either Miomir Kecmanovic or Jesper de Jong if he manages to stun Djokovic. The Brit would relish the opportunity to face Kecmanovic, who he recently beat at the Eastbourne Open. In contrast, Evans has yet to play Jesper de Jong.
