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Great Britain’s Dan Evans reached the third round of the Nottingham Open with a battling win over teenage compatriot Henry Searle.<\/b><\/p>\n
Second seed Evans was well matched by the 18-year-old and after his 7-6 (7-4) 7-6 (7-5) win said the reigning Wimbledon junior champion will be “a hell of a player”.<\/p>\n
Searle, the current world number 630, is yet to make his debut at ATP Tour level, but underlined his potential in a tight contest.<\/p>\n
“He’s obviously very good,” said Evans.<\/p>\n
“I’m just happy to come through to be honest – it’s not the draw I wanted to see when I saw I was next to his name.”<\/p>\n
Neither player was able to break serve in the opening set which Evans sealed with an ace at the end of a tense tie-break.<\/p>\n
The British number three set up triple break point on Searle’s first service game in the second but the teenager responded brilliantly to salvage a hold.<\/p>\n
Searle then capitalised on his momentum to secure the first break of the match and led 3-2 after Evans sliced a drop shot into the net.<\/p>\n
But Evans saved another break point at 4-3 and then broke back to 30 in the next game by returning two overhead smashes before Searle volleyed into the net.<\/p>\n
Qualifier Searle faded in the second-set tie-break with Evans at one point leading 6-3 before getting over the line.<\/p>\n
“Credit to him – he played great,” added Evans. “He’s going to be a hell of a player.”<\/p>\n
Evans has now won three of his four grass-court matches this summer as he builds up to Wimbledon which starts on 1 July.<\/p>\n
British number one Katie Boulter is on court later on Wednesday, taking on Canadian Rebecca Marino.<\/p>\n
Fellow Briton Heather Watson faces Czech sixth seed Karolina Pliskova.<\/p>\n
In the Stuttgart Open, British number two Jack Draper plays American Marcos Giron.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n