'I can see Emma maybe winning it': Dan Evans eyes British Wimbledon glory with Emma Raducanu & Jack Draper

Dan Evans has weighed in on the possibilities of a British player lifting the Wimbledon title again, with Jack Draper and Emma Raducanu generating the most excitement among local fans. The last Brit to hoist the trophy was the now-retired Andy Murray, who achieved the feat in 2013 and 2016.

When Sir Andy won his first Wimbledon title, 77 years had passed since a local men's champion – a drought broken since Fred Perry's win in 1936. On the women's side, the last British woman to triumph was Virginia Wade in 1977, and since then, no British woman has reached the tournament final.

In a recent interview with BBC, Dan Evans discussed whether he sees the British No. 1s, Jack Draper (world No. 6) or Emma Raducanu (No. 37), capable of winning the title for a home player. “Winning Wimbledon took 77 years. Jack Draper has the ability to win Wimbledon, there’s no doubt about that. He has the serve and he has the game. Will he do it? It’s impossible to answer that at the minute.”

Draper this year won his first Masters 1000 title at Indian Wells and reached the semifinals at the past US Open 2024, marking his best performance in a major. The Brit has consecutively reached the fourth round this year at the Australian Open and French Open, and on grass, he will again have his chance to shine. Evans considers Draper by far the biggest local hope. “But he has the biggest chance out of any of the Brits right now obviously."

On the other hand, he also believes Raducanu has the potential to contend for the title, though probably more in the future. “I can see Emma maybe winning it. I think she is starting to get there on the grass.” Raducanu, who won her first Grand Slam title at the US Open 2024 at just 18 years old, has shown some of her best tennis on grass courts. At Wimbledon, she has already reached the fourth round twice, her best results in Grand Slam main draws without considering her Flushing Meadows title.