Dan Evans sounds off on 'elitist' British tennis after claim on Emma Raducanu GS win

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Dan Evans suggests "elitism" is destroying British tennis and urged British tennis officials to provide more support to kids from "working-class backgrounds." Last week, Evans criticized the state of tennis in his country as he said that said Emma Raducanu's 2021 US Open win "papered over the cracks" in British tennis.

By that comment, Evans wanted to say Raducanu's Grand Slam win made the reality of British tennis look better than it really is. At this year's French Open, Great Britain had just three representatives - Evans, Cameron Norrie and Jack Draper.

On the WTA Tour, Great Britain doesn't have a top-100 player anymore and no British girls participated in the French Open women's singles event. Evans suggests there need to be better opportunities for kids in Great Britain if the nation wants to have a bright future.

Evans suggests 'elitism' is destroying British tennis

“I voice my opinions because I want younger children, working-class kids to get the support they deserve. In any other sport, when people voice their opinions about a system, it goes forward, but in tennis, because we’re so elitist in England, it doesn’t get put forward.

I’m doing it for working-class people like I was. No-one ever just comes from nowhere. In Britain. it’s always: ‘Yeah, he was good when he was young’. Ten times out of ten they’re from a very nice area most likely.

I just don’t think there’s a chance for people from working-class backgrounds to get into the sport and get a chance if their parents don’t have money. That’s why I do it. I’m just asking for things to be a bit different, more people to have a chance to get funded.

It’s not personal. If you’re taking it personally, then maybe you’re guilty of what I’m saying," Evans said, via Tennishead. Meanwhile, Thanasi Kokkinakis handed Evans a 6-4 6-4 6-4 loss in the French Open first round.

“I’ve got my own battles to deal with right now on the court. It’s shocking how I played today. It’s not good enough," Evans added.