'The bad boy of British tennis': Dan Evans announces retirement from tennis following Wimbledon 2026

British tennis player Dan Evans has announced his retirement from tennis, with the upcoming Grand Slam at Wimbledon set to be his last.

The 36-year-old has enjoyed a very solid career in the sport. While at times controversy took the spotlight, he showed his class on numerous occasions. While his career has spiralled downhill over the last couple of years, he has still managed to achieve a lot in the sport.

He reached a career high world number 21 back in August of 2023 following his title win at the DC Open. The ATP 500 event was his second and final ATP title following the Murray River Open triumph Down Under back in 2021. His most cherished award came in the 2015 Davis Cup where he did his bit as Great Britain won the title, sealing glory for the first time since 1936.

He unveiled this difficult news on social media, sending out a poignant message. "After an incredible journey, I wanted to share some personal news with you all. I will be retiring from professional tennis following this years Wimbledon championships," he wrote.

"This sport has given me everything. The friendships, the experiences, the battles and even the hard days were special in hindsight. I have loved every single minute of being a professional tennis player. To my parents, my wife and my family, thank you for your unwavering support through every high and low. None of this would have been possible without your support. To every coach, trainer, physio, sponsor and member of my team over the years, the list is too long to name individually, but each of you played a part in shaping my career and I am truly grateful.

"Representing Great Britain in both Davis Cup and the Olympics remains the greatest honour of my career and something I will cherish for the rest of my life. I’m looking forward to finishing on a high across these final two tournaments and giving everything I have one last time. Thank you for the support."

Evans rise in the sport had been a steady one. He made his Davis Cup debut back in 2009 while trying to make a name for himself. He struggled with a knee injury between 2014 and 2015 which saw him from knocking on the door of a top 100 spot to outside the top 700.

He was a surprise inclusion for the Davis Cup semi-final tie, but was not chosen to feature in the final, in which Great Britain, led by Andy Murray, finally tasted glory in the competition once more after a long wait.

Things started looking promising for Evans as he debuted in the top 50 in 2017 before disaster struck. He received a one-year ban after testing positive for cocaine.

He would bounce back, reaching the final of the Delray Beach Open in a maiden ATP final. He also reached semi-finals in Antwerp and Vienna in a rich vein of form that saw him debut in the top 30 in the world.

His first ATP title in the Murray River Open bumped him up the order even more. He reached consecutive Masters 1000 doubles finals in Miami and Monte-Carlo, losing both, while also in Monaco confirming a first ever Masters 1000 semi-final. He would reach this stage once more in this category of tournament at the Canadian Open a year later. The DC Open title saw him close in on breaking into the top 20 in 2023. He was on top of the world, but would not be able to keep up that form.

In the later stages of his career, he was still able to make the headlines. He had the honour of partnering Murray in the doubles at the Paris Olympics. It would be the Scots final venture on court before retirement as they bowed out in the quarter-finals. Later that year, Evans won the longest match recorded at the US Open. It took a whopping five hours and 35 minutes to get the better of Karen Khachanov.

While never the most powerful player, he made up for it with great defensive skills and rapid speed. He is a tactical player and able to vary his game up, proving to be a challenge for many. He has recently been competing on the Challenge Tour, but will have one more crack on the big stage at Wimbledon. Ranked world number 217, he will need to rely on getting a wildcard or go through qualifying to compete.