Dan Evans has found Roland Garros match wins hard to come by over the years.
Evans has been ranked as high as world number 21, but is now outside the top 200 after struggling with injuries and a loss of form.
This means that he is now having to play Grand Slam qualifying, with Evans looking to return to the top 100.
The 34-year-old has a victory over Novak Djokovic on clay, but only had one previous Roland Garros match win before this year.
The message Andy Murray sent Dan Evans after his first French Open win
Evans won his first Roland Garros qualifying match this year, beating compatriot Billy Harris to become one of only two British players to progress to the second round of the preliminary stage.
This is only the Birmingham-born player’s second win at the French Open, with his only other coming in the main draw of the 2022 tournament.
After four first round losses in Paris, Evans finally made his breakthrough against Francisco Cerundolo, beating the Argentine in straight sets.
When looking back on that match in an interview with RolandGarros.com, Evans revealed that Andy Murray was actually the first person to message him after that victory.
In this message, Murray praised his compatriot for not giving up his hopes on winning a match at the Parisian major.
“It’s funny because the first person who messaged me when I won that match was Andy [Murray],” said Evans. “He said that perseverance is a good characteristic.”
Evans has not won a main draw match at Roland Garros since, but will be hoping to come through qualifying to give himself another chance at doing so.
Dan Evans re-lives atmosphere of Paris Olympics with Andy Murray
While Evans has not had much joy at the French Open itself, he has had some successes on the grounds of Roland Garros.
Last year, Evans competed alongside Andy Murray for his retirement tournament at the Paris Olympics.
Murray and Evans defied the odds, saving seven match points en route to reaching the quarter-finals.
Looking back on that run, Evans claimed that he did not even have to think about partnering Murray and would never forget the atmosphere inside Stade Roland Garros.
“The atmosphere there was something I’ll never forget,” said Evans. “It wasn’t even a decision for me.”
Evans will look to create more unforgettable moments at Roland Garros this year, as he takes on Clement Tabur in his second qualifying match.
