“Early exit disappointing for former British No.1, but tournament continues”
Great Britain’s tennis player Dan Evans was knocked out in the first round of the Australian Open 2026 qualifying at Melbourne Park. He lost to Japan’s Rei Sakamoto 6–1, 6–2 in a match that lasted about 66 minutes. The conditions were hot and humid, which made serving and movement more challenging.
Evans struggled with his serve, hitting four double faults and failing to create any break-point opportunities. Sakamoto broke his serve several times and controlled the match from start to finish, showing strong consistency and focus.
This marks the second consecutive year that Evans has exited in the first round of Australian Open qualifying. Other British players, Jay Clarke and Jack Pinnington Jones, also lost their opening matches, while Arthur Fery and George Loffhagen advanced to the second round.
The Australian Open qualifying requires players to win three matches to enter the main draw. Evans’ early exit was disappointing for the former British No.1, but the tournament continues with the rest of the field battling for spots in Melbourne’s main event. Fans will be watching closely to see which qualifiers make an impact in the main draw.