Eastbourne Open 2025: When Dan Evans takes to the court, drama is never far away

And so to Centre Court: the trees standing tall as a guard of honour, the flags flying, the South Stand climbing as high as a ski-slope, the shimmering green grass court absolutely immaculate. The price of your daily ticket, in all truth, is pretty high these days, comparing with a mid-range West End theatre production: but heck, this theatre is live and unscripted. And when Dan Evans takes to the court, drama is never far away.

Dan’s tennis career has sometimes been bumpy: he has clashed with authority now and again, he is no cloned academy product, and his playing style can be unorthodox. But what a guy. In the weekend press conference we had an enjoyable exchange, including: Dan, have you ever come up against Kecmanovic? Yep, and he’s always beaten me! Not this time…

As this match developed, a huge Centre Court crowd grew more engaged – and more partisan – by the minute. The big Serbian was a seriously tough opponent, with huge serve and great shot placement, but lacking a bit of mobility. Evans strained every sinew and found every angle, every tactic, playing every shot as if it hurt – which after two hours of relentless power tennis, it probably did!

Kecmanovic had claimed the first set, but Evans winched his way back into the contest, taking the second 6-4 to rousing applause. Then the British player raced to 3-0 in the deciding set, but Kecmanovic clawed back to trail just 4-5. Evans now needed both physical and mental focus: and held that final serve – and nerve – to go through. And the Centre Court rose as one….

Elsewhere, the tennis was flowing and the scores were flowing in. A notable doubles encounter caught the eye, and the Herald sneaked in to catch it: Jodie Burrage and Sonay Kartal were inventive and skilful in subduing their US opponents, sharing the first two sets with the very athletic Americans, and then clinching it in the (relatively) new Match Tie-Break decider – first pair to ten points takes the match. Jodie and Sonay are a breath of air and a perfect pairing: Burrage is one of that terrific generation, with Katie Boulter and others, who have grown from teens to twenties and have an irrepressible eagerness and love of the sport.

We were into the après-lunch now, enjoying the day and blissfully unaware of the shocks and surprises to come. My Herald colleagues will have reported them elsewhere: Daria Kasatkina stunningly knocked out by a relative newcomer. Much-loved Ons Jabeur also tipped out of the Round of 32. Reminders that all sport is live and unscripted – and that’s why we love it.

Brit success also came with a solid victory by the grounded and confident Fran Jones, over Dutch girl Greet Minnen, and Tuesday dawned – rather cool and breezy – with the prospect of some marvellous encounters. Harriett Dart facing the outstanding Czech player Barbora Krejcikova - followed on Centre Court by Emma Raducanu, who actually sounded happy, relaxed and optimistic when she met the press on Monday afternoon.

In total, no fewer than seven Brits take the courts on Tuesday, weather permitting.

But Eastbourne isn’t just about the tennis, the winner down the line, the easy volley errantly put into the net, the crucial double fault. It is about a shared experience. On the central lawns, there was not a deckchair free. Around the open courts, spectators jostled for a view. Schoolteachers shepherded their charges: “I counted them all out…”.

Senior marshall Nick had found that spare seat for this reporter on Court Two, as he somehow does every year on the friendliest court in town. The interns from Eastbourne College were welcomed to the media centre. And the man-with-a-van who does the grand tour every summer, around the tournaments, hiring out cushions at three quid a day, was doing excellent business. Tennis is back at the Devvy Park, and we’re loving it.