Dan Evans has qualified for the main draw of the Australian Open for the first time. Evans came through all three qualifying matches to make his main draw debut in Melbourne. Overall there will be six Brits in the first round of the first Grand Slam of the year.
Topples top seed
In the first round of qualifying Evans defeated the top qualifying seed Luca Vanni in straight sets, 7-6, 6-4 in just under two hours. The Brit had to fight hard in the first set as he was broken fairly early, but toughed it out to earn the break back.
With the first set ending in the tiebreak, Evans clinched the breaker 7-5 and was one set away from the second round. Vanni was unable to get the better of the Brit and Evans sealed the second round of qualifying taking the set 6-4.
Second round
This next round was a sterner test for the Brit as he faced Amir Weintraub. Evans fought hard to take the first set 7-5, but the Israeli was playing well too and had soon levelled the match by taking the second set to a tiebreak which he took 7-4, the final set would decide who would reach the final qualifying round. The Brit took control of the final set and secured his place in the last qualifying round winning 6-2.
Final qualifying round
The final round saw Evans against another seed Bjorn Fratangelo. This was the sternest test the Brit had faced up to this point, Evans and Fratangelo kept the set very tight with the Brit taking the vital break to take it 7-5.
The next set saw the American come back and break the Evans serve to level up 6-4, there could only be one winner and the final set would decide it. Evans was up for securing his place in the main draw, and he was not going to allow the American an easy ride. In fact the Brit dominated the final set and served up a bagel.
Evans will play Felicano Lopez in the first round and joins Andy Murray, Aljaz Bedene, Kyle Edmunds, Johanna Konta and Heather Watson.