Evans, regardless of a troublesome season the place he has struggled for type and health, is a reassuring presence on this British crew.
He has dropped to outdoors the world’s 150 in latest months however, in entrance of a three-quarters full Manchester Area, demonstrated why he stays so essential to Smith’s squad.
These watching would have been forgiven for pondering Evans would breeze previous the unheralded Vasa, who plies most of his commerce distant from the Grand Slam tournaments on the bottom-rung Futures Tour.
Nevertheless, the 27-year-old Vasa stunned the group – if not Evans – by taking part in effectively above his rating.
Booming first serves of above 130mph had been backed up by speedy second serves, whereas he made Evans ask questions from the baseline in affected person rallies.
Evans, who reached the US Open third spherical, needed to combat off two break factors within the first recreation of the match earlier than beginning to take management and apply strain.
A break level was saved by Vasa within the eighth recreation and Evans couldn’t convert three set factors on his opponent’s serve later within the set.
However his expertise and nous advised within the tie-break, taking part in with a contact extra aggression to deliver up 4 set factors and strain Vasa right into a double fault on the third.
As soon as he had a agency foothold, Evans accelerated rapidly within the second set and moved a double break forward earlier than serving out a slow-burning victory.
“It was a troublesome match; he performed nice at first. I knew he would come out and play aggressive,” stated Evans.
“I discovered it robust for a very long time to get the ball-striking and I began to play higher within the second and higher on the finish.”