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Dan Evans, who is due to return to tennis from a drugs ban next month, will not get the same welcoming embrace the game extended to Maria Sharapova last summer when her 15-month suspension ended.
The Lawn Tennis Association controversially gifted a wild card to Sharapova in the pre-Wimbledon Birmingham event although the Russian, who tested positive for meldonium in 2016, ultimately made her slam comeback at the US Open. However it was confirmed on Thursday that Evans, who was banned for a year after traces of cocaine were found in a sample taken in Barcelona last April, will have to satisfy the LTA that he has mended his ways before it will offer him similar free passage into any tournament.
The LTA’s performance director, Simon Timson, said: ”We’re not discussing wild cards with Dan at this stage. There is an awful lot of water to get under the bridge before [that]. We’ve been really clear with Dan that there’s some things that he needs to do.”
Evans, who has dropped to No 608 in the rankings having been the world No 50 before his positive test, will have to battle his way back on the Challenger circuit. Timson and the Great Britain Davis Cup captain, Leon Smith, a staunch supporter of Evans throughout the player’s volatile career, spoke with the 27-year-old recently and were encouraged by his responses.
“He appears very committed to getting back to playing at the level he was prior to his suspension,” Timson said. “We don’t condone doping in any way, shape or form and we’ve taken a very firm line on that with Dan. At the same time, I think that everybody deserves a second chance.
“We have a duty of care to our players to support them in the right ways for the right reasons. That’s what we’re doing. We’ve agreed a programme with Dan of what he needs to do. If he commits to that, we will support and monitor his progress with it. When the time is right, we’ll start to talk about his tournament schedule, and when he’s ready to step back on to the court and compete.”
(GUARDIAN)
