Michael Tabor, co-owner of dual Derby winner Auguste Rodin, feels a drop down to 10 furlongs for the Juddmonte International will feature “high on the agenda” for the colt, with the Breeders’ Cup Classic also a possibility at the end of the season.

A rare son of late Japanese champion Deep Impact, Auguste Rodin gave trainer Aidan O’Brien his 100th European Classic win when Ryan Moore’s mount downed stablemate Adelaide River in the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby at the Curragh on Sunday.

Owned in partnership with John and Susan Magnier, Derrick Smith and Georg von Opel’s Westerberg racing operation, Tabor’s famous royal blue and orange disk silks had previously been carried to victory at Epsom.

To some observers, his latest length-and-a-half success was unconvincing, a view Tabor agrees with.

He said: “I do think it is fair that people say he was only workmanlike. It wasn’t the fastest pace in the world, which didn’t suit him and when he hits the front, he only just does enough.

“I think and hope you’ll see a lot better horse when he runs next, let’s put it that way.

“Only time will tell, but people are right when they look at it, they were not impressed and that was the way it was.”

Having been the first horse since Harzand in 2016 to follow up victory in the Epsom blue riband, Auguste Rodin is a general 9-4 favourite to win the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot on July 29.

While the prospect of a second clash with Epsom runner-up and subsequent King Edward VII Stakes winner King Of Steel and last year’s Derby hero Desert Crown looks a mouthwatering prospect, Tabor feels the three-year-old has the speed to drop back in trip.

He added: “He could go down in trip if it presents itself, but at the moment, if you go forward, what is he going to run in? If you do go down in trip, what race would he run in?

“The Juddmonte International would obviously be on the agenda. The Breeders’ Cup Classic is a shot to nothing – that’s a tough one – but certainly the Juddmonte is high on the agenda.

“It’s a difficult call, but how long is it between the King George and the Juddmonte? It is about three and a half weeks (25 days). It’s enough time (for both races), I should think.

“Aidan knows what to do with the horses, but I would think that is a distinct possibility.

“He’s fast enough for 10 furlongs and the Breeders’ Cup is a possibility, for sure.”

Lewis Hamilton and Co will this week descend on Silverstone for the British Grand Prix.

Here, the PA news agency looks at five key races staged at the Northamptonshire venue.

1987

Nigel Mansell was forced to pit for a new set of tyres after reporting vibrations on his Williams. With 30 laps remaining he was the best part of half-a-minute behind his team-mate and fierce rival Nelson Piquet.

The chase appeared impossible but, spurred on by his home crowd, Mansell smashed the lap record on nine occasions before catching and passing Piquet after an exquisite move at Stowe with only two laps left.

The home crowd were euphoric and Mansell responded by leaping out of his Williams and kissing the tarmac.

1994

Michael Schumacher illegally overtook pole-sitter Damon Hill on the parade lap and was punished with a stop-and-go penalty – which he ignored.

He was issued with a black flag – which should have resulted in his instant disqualification – but Schumacher kept driving before serving his stop-and-go punishment on lap 27.

Hill went on to claim a crucial victory and was presented the winner’s trophy by Princess Diana. Schumacher finished second, but he was later disqualified and banned for two races.

1998

Schumacher was at the centre of controversy four years later after winning – while stationary in the pit-lane.

Mika Hakkinen led from the start, but as the rain fell and conditions deteriorated, the Finn lost control of his McLaren and spun.

The safety car was deployed, and while Hakkinen remained in the race, he had sustained damage to his front wing. His 40-second lead was wiped out and Schumacher looked odds-on to win.

However, Schumacher had illegally passed Alexander Wurz under a yellow flag, which resulted in a stop-and-go penalty. But the haphazard stewards only announced his punishment with two laps left.

At the end of the final lap, Schumacher entered the pits to serve his penalty, but had already crossed the start-finish line and won the race. The bizarre result stood despite McLaren’s protests.

2008

Lewis Hamilton arrived at his home race fourth in the drivers’ standings but left on top after storming to victory in one of his outstanding performances.

In torrential rain, Hamilton blitzed the field, finishing the race almost 70 seconds ahead of second-placed Nick Heidfeld and lapped the entire pack up to third. Hamilton’s championship rival Felipe Massa spun five times.

2021

Hamilton sent Max Verstappen into the wall at Copse following a devastating 180mph collision.

Verstappen was taken to hospital with concussion, while Hamilton was hit with a 10-second penalty.

Hamilton served his punishment and fought back through the field, passing Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc in the final laps to take a remarkable, if not controversial, victory.

Lewis Hamilton will head into this weekend’s British Grand Prix with only six months remaining on his £40million-a-season Mercedes deal.

The PA news agency spoke to David Coulthard, 13-race Formula One winner and Channel 4 pundit for the broadcaster’s live coverage of Sunday’s race at Silverstone, to look at the key questions surrounding Hamilton’s next deal.

When will Hamilton’s new contract with Mercedes be announced?

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff confirmed that 38-year-old Hamilton’s extension will not be announced at Silverstone this week, but for me, it is just a case of when they get it done. I am not aware Lewis is having a change of heart about whether he wants to go racing or not, and I don’t think Mercedes are having second doubts.

Wolff said financial terms, and the duration of the next deal, have been agreed. So, why the hold-up?

Mercedes will want a certain amount of time from Lewis for their partners. Mercedes will have sold sponsorship on obtaining access to their drivers. Some businesses will have signed up with the Silver Arrows because Lewis is there, rather than George Russell. Perhaps Lewis might be wanting to do fewer days or have fewer commitments?

What Lewis will be signing up for goes way beyond him driving at a grand prix. It is about what rights he retains in terms of his image, and what rights he sells to the team. Mercedes are buying more than just Lewis’ driving services. They are buying his promotional image and his PR image.

Could Hamilton join Ferrari, or even Red Bull?

I don’t think there is any realistic chance that Lewis will leave Mercedes unless there is a major fallout. And I can’t see that happening.

Who would the major fallout be with? Even if it was with Toto, Lewis’ relationship with Mercedes’ parent company Daimler is much longer than Toto’s emergence as team principal of Mercedes.

How much longer will Hamilton go on for?

I am sure there are quotes from drivers when they were younger, who said they could not see themselves racing into their late 30s and beyond. I am sure Lewis will have said something similar. But he’ll look at Fernando Alonso, and think ‘if Fernando, who is 42 this month, is still competitive, than why not me?’

However, the only reason for Hamilton to hang around is to try and win races and compete for championships. Scoring points will not change his life. He needs to see what Mercedes can show him that gives him the confidence he will be competitive next year, rather than having to stay around for another three seasons.

How will Hamilton handle retirement?

Lewis has had an incredible journey in life, with his achievements on the track, and his exposure off it.

He has got a very healthy view of how it is being Lewis Hamilton – the Formula One driver that goes from country to country – and Lewis Hamilton – the individual, the personality, the celebrity. But none of those personality-driven events he goes to will ever give him the adrenaline buzz he gets from racing a Formula One car.

Very few things in life will ever give him that feeling so when the time does arrive for him to retire, he has to be certain he is ready to stop.

My memories of Silverstone go back to 1995. When I first landed from Australia as an 18-year-old I wanted to go to there because it was the most famous race track in the world.

I went straight from Heathrow to the gates to have a look at it. And the sheer scale of the venue – with all the racing teams set up around it – was awesome.

I have lots of positive memories from racing there. I won at Silverstone in sportscars, in Formula Ford, in Formula Two – which was Formula 3000 back then – and I also managed a couple of victories in Formula One, too.

I always enjoyed racing there. The atmosphere of the crowd is incredible and they are bloody knowledgeable. You really feel that as a driver.

It is a phenomenal circuit and one that should never be taken off the calendar. It is the embodiment of what F1 is all about. Here are a handful of my Silverstone memories:

Lewis Hamilton’s win in the torrential rain in 2008

Bloody hell. What Lewis did that day was just magical. He tore the field apart. I was on the front row, and spun on the first lap. Everyone made a mistake that day, but Lewis didn’t.

With the sheer level of water – and because the cars were so light and nimble – you had to be on top of them to stay in charge. And Lewis’ skill and feel allowed him to take one of his biggest winning margins ever. He crossed the line 70 seconds clear of anyone else and lapped the field up to third.

It was an exceptional display, and anyone that was there witnessed a bit of history. Fifteen years on, it remains one of his best performances.

Winning my first British Grand Prix in 2010

This was one of the biggest memories of my life. There was a lot of tension going into that race because of the contradictions on the equipment I felt I was receiving compared to my Red Bull team-mate Sebastian Vettel.

I had a close start with Seb in Turn 1. He then made contact with Lewis, got a puncture – which I was heartbroken about – and after that I was racing Lewis to the flag.

It was not a regulation victory – you always have to earn them and do the work – but I managed to have a clean day in front of a full house.

I said to the team over the radio: “Not bad for a number two driver.” I just thought I would let them know I wasn’t a bad driver.

Lewis Hamilton v Max Verstappen in 2021

The impact between Lewis and Max at Copse was big, and it was good that Max was alright.

What we saw that day, was two gladiators marking their territories. It is what makes our sport so great – two legends taking each other to the wire in front of a full house at a daunting circuit.

It was the first race back with a capacity crowd after Covid and the occasion was why that first lap was so feisty. There were 140,000 punters in, and Lewis was not going to back down.

Lewis is probably one of, if not the cleanest drivers I ever raced against, alongside Fernando Alonso. They are both absolutely extraordinary in wheel-to-wheel combat.

But it was a very optimistic move from Lewis. To this day, I don’t know how he did not retire with damage. Everything after that was a bonus and somehow the car stayed together and he got the job done and won.

Zhou Guanyu’s horror crash

Last year, Zhou had a lucky escape after he rolled on to his roof and was launched into the barrier at the first corner. For me, the Halo didn’t help. The upside-down car acted like a skateboard. It made Zhou go faster along the track.

The cars are so much heavier than they used to be. They are now 850 kilograms – up from 600 kilograms – but still do the same speeds. That means a lot of the barriers are outdated and more exposed.

On the back of the ticket it says motorsport is dangerous. Bad things have happened in the past, and unfortunately they will do in the future. The FIA must keep learning, and they know the weight of these cars is not something that’s good for the safety of the circuits.

Mark Webber will appear as pundit for Channel 4 during their live coverage of the British Grand Prix on Sunday

Lando Norris admits this has been the toughest season of his Formula One career – and he is not prepared to wait another five years before he can fight to be crowned champion of the world.

Norris heads into his home race at Silverstone off the back of his best result of 2023 – an upgraded fourth in his updated McLaren at last weekend’s Austrian Grand Prix.

He made his debut in 2019, scoring six podiums and taking one pole position along the way, narrowly missing out on a maiden victory at a rain-hit Russian Grand Prix two years ago.

But the 23-year-old from Glastonbury has endured a largely frustrating campaign in his under-performing McLaren. His strong finish in Spielberg marked the first time from the opening nine rounds that he has finished in the top five.

“This has been my toughest season,” Norris said in an interview with the PA news agency ahead of this weekend’s British Grand Prix.

“I have been on the rise and felt that glory and the podiums and then it drops off to the worst it has been for me. I want to win so much, but at the same time it feels so far away.

“Everyone puts in the effort, and when I am not close to fighting for points, it takes a lot out of me. I don’t get anything out of it and it hurts.

“And when I think I have been in F1 for five seasons, I feel like ‘damn’. Five years have gone by so quickly and before I know it I will have been here for 10. I don’t want to be in this position then.”

Although Lewis Hamilton, Max Verstappen and Fernando Alonso are regarded as the top three in F1, Norris is leading the chasing group.

Norris effectively ended eight-time grand prix winner Daniel Ricciardo’s career by outperforming him during their two years together at McLaren. And Red Bull team principal Christian Horner is known to be an admirer of the young Englishman.

Sergio Perez has struggled for form in recent races, leading some to question whether there might be a vacancy alongside Verstappen at Red Bull next year.

Is Norris, who is contracted to McLaren until 2026, monitoring the situation at the grid’s all-conquering team?

“You always monitor things,” he replied. “Every driver on the grid does. And I do think sometimes, ‘What would happen if I was in this position or that position?’

“But I am not the guy who wastes time thinking about it, or wishing for something else. I have kind of got to a point where I am just very happy to keep my head down.

“When the time comes and something happens then something happens, but I don’t get carried away with any of that, as much as I daydream about things in life, like everyone does.”

Norris’ strong display at Spielberg will have lifted the mood at McLaren’s Woking headquarters.

And Norris wants to carry over his form from the Styrian Mountains by putting on a show for a crowd on Sunday that will touch 150,000 spectators – a large chunk of whom will be cheering on the popular McLaren man.

“The experience of having a home race and the support of the fans, the cheers and the shouting, is such a cool thing,” Norris added.

“In a way it makes me feel odd because I could never have ever imagined to be in that position, with people wearing my T-shirt and shouting my name. I am an introvert really, and not necessarily the best with crowds.

“But it gets me because there are people supporting me and spending their weekend cheering me on. I feel like I want to deliver and make sure they have a good time.”

Part-owner Michael Tabor is anticipating a “fascinating duel” should Paddington take on Emily Upjohn in Saturday’s Coral-Eclipse at Sandown.

The three-year-old would be stepping up to 10 furlongs for the first time in Esher following his Irish 2,000 Guineas and St James’s Palace Stakes wins, while the year older Emily Upjohn will be dropping back from a mile and a half after landing the Coronation Cup at Epsom last month.

Paddington, who has won five of his six starts for trainer Aidan O’Brien, would be getting 7lb from Emily Upjohn, and Tabor thinks that could prove crucial.

He said: “I think we have Paddington in the Eclipse at the weekend.

“He is up against a very, very good mare, Emily Upjohn. It will be a fascinating duel. What can you say? We are getting 7lb weight for age, I suppose.

“It makes a difference, but don’t forget we are only a three-year-old and Emily is a four-year-old.

“She should be that much stronger, so it is all compensation, but we have to respect her.”

Tabor owns Paddington in partnership with John Magnier, Derrick Smith, Westerberg and Peter Brant, with all but the latter also involved in Luxembourg, who is also entered in the Eclipse.

Winner of the Tattersalls Gold Cup before having to settle for second in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot, he is a best-priced 20-1 for the Sandown contest, although Tabor is unsure on his running plans.

He added: “I haven’t even asked Aidan if Luxembourg is running, or with Derrick or John, because we have been focussing on Paddington running, because he’s our number one.

“Luxembourg is a good horse. He will have his day in the sun soon. We always discuss it with Aidan – he would never say I’m running him in this race or whatever.”

Former amateur star Rose Zhang admits the brilliant start to her professional career has exceeded her expectations.

Zhang spent a record 141 weeks at the top of the amateur rankings and became the first female player to win two NCAA individual titles, a victory which saw her exceed the number of wins Tiger Woods achieved at Stanford.

The 20-year-old also won the Augusta National Women’s Amateur in April and the US Women’s Amateur two years ago, as well as helping the United States to Curtis Cup wins over Great Britain and Ireland in 2021 and 2022.

Just nine days after joining the paid ranks, Zhang defeated Jennifer Kupcho in a play-off to win the Mizuho Americas Open, becoming the first player to win on the LPGA Tour in their professional debut since Beverly Hanson in 1951.

And on her next start she contended for a major title in the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, getting within a shot of the lead in the final round at Baltusrol before finishing in a tie for eighth.

Next up for Zhang is another major as the US Women’s Open is staged for the first time at Pebble Beach, where Zhang set the women’s course record of 63 while in college.

“It certainly has (exceeded my expectations),” Zhang told a pre-tournament press conference.

“I would have never expected myself to be in this position. Just being able to be in contention has been incredible, feeling-wise, and I feel like my game has been on par with a lot of the professionals and the veterans out here.

“But yeah, it’s not something that I anticipated and I have just felt like these positions has helped me to really realise that I have a lot of potential and I can become better, get better, but I’m always just someone to try to put my foot forward and improve even more.

“So I have never really thought about results-wise how I would end up, but I assumed that the transition was going to be a lot more difficult for sure.”

Asked about her goals for the week, Zhang added: “Well, in order to be in contention and play well, you have to make the cut first, right? So that is the first goal.

“Then if I make it, if I play well, we’ll just continue from there. So it’s the same mindset as what I had at KPMG.

“Not any expectations on how I finish, but I certainly do have expectations on how I should perform and how I should play the sport.”

Australia’s Minjee Lee will defend the title she won by four shots at Pine Needles last year, her second major victory following the 2021 Evian Championship.

“I think the course itself is in really great condition,” Lee said. “The rough is very lush.

“The fairways and greens are also in great condition. I’m really looking forward to how the USGA sets up the course for the tournament.

“I do love it that the greens are small. I think the ball-striking is going to be really important, especially tee to green.

“The par threes are all very strong, so I think they’ll be quite a good challenge and a good test.”

Lewis Hamilton praised his own pit-stop calls as he completed a hat-trick of home victories by winning an entertaining British Grand Prix at a rain-hit Silverstone on this day in 2015.

The reigning world champion recovered from another poor start to seal a 38th career win and remain on course to equal his hero Ayrton Senna’s haul of three Formula One championships that season.

Home favourite Hamilton timed both of his pit-stops perfectly, firstly leap-frogging the fast-starting Williams pair of Felipe Massa and Valtteri Bottas – who had jumped the Mercedes duo from the start – and then putting on the intermediate tyres as the heaviest of the rain came, thus placating a push from team-mate Nico Rosberg.

“The race was very very tough,” said 30-year-old Hamilton, who took top place on the podium ahead of Rosberg (second) and Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel (third).

“It was very slippery off the start but it made it more exciting when I was chasing down the Williams and it was very hard to get close and overtake.

“I got close enough on the first pit-stop and I came out ahead and then the rain came and I lost temperature on the front tyres. For the first time in my F1 career I made the perfectly right choice in terms of, I’m coming in now. So I feel extremely happy about that.”

The win was Hamilton’s fifth of the season, moving him 17 points clear of Rosberg at the top of the standings, and he would go on to be crowned world champion again that year.

Since then, Hamilton has won the British Grand Prix a further five times – taking his overall tally to eight, three clear of Jim Clark and Alain Prost – and improved his number of world titles to a record-equalling seven.

Los Angeles Angels superstar Shohei Ohtani was forced from him start with a blister on his right middle finger in an 8-5 loss to the San Diego Padres on Tuesday.

After Ohtani allowed back-to-back home runs to Xander Bogaerts and Jake Cronenworth with no outs in the sixth inning, a trainer came out to check on the Japanese sensation. Ohtani then exited after allowing five runs and seven hits with four walks and five strikeouts.

The right-hander said he doesn’t plan to pitch in next week’s All-Star Game, but he could still play a significant role if he’s healthy enough to remain the starting designated hitter for the American League next Tuesday in Seattle.

Ohtani’s exit came a few hours after the Angels learned star centre fielder Mike Trout will be sidelined several weeks because of a broken left wrist.

Joe Musgrove earned the win with a season-best 11 strikeouts in seven innings to help San Diego take the first two games of the three-game series.

Cronenworth also had two doubles to become the first player with three extra-base hits in a game against Ohtani.

Cronenworth and Bogaerts each finished with three RBIs.

The Angels drew four walks in the ninth and scored four runs, but Josh Hader got the final two outs for his 19th save.

Guardians win in 10 to snap Braves’ nine-game winning streak

David Fry singled home Amed Rosario in the bottom of the 10th inning to give the Cleveland Guardians a 6-5 victory over the MLB-best Atlanta Braves, who had their nine-game winning streak stopped.

The game-winner came after Cleveland centre fielder Myles Straw threw out Sam Hlliard at the plate in the top of the 10th to keep the game tied.

Ozzie Albies’ second home run of the game off Guardians closer Emmanuel Clase in the ninth forged a 5-5 tie.

Atlanta had won 17 of 18 of 24 of 27.

Phillies win 10th straight on road

Aaron Nola matched a career high with 12 strikeouts and the Philadelphia Phillies topped the AL-leading Tampa Bay Rays 3-1 for their 10th consecutive road win.

Nola outdueled friend and former teammate Zach Eflin by allowing one run and five hits over 7 1/3 innings to win his third straight decision.

Philadelphia’s 10-game road streak is its longest since the 1976 team won a franchise-best 13 in a row away from home.

The Rays tied a season high with their third consecutive loss.

Wimbledon organisers will try to play catch-up on day three after only eight matches were completed on a rain-soaked Tuesday.

Schedulers have had their work cut out devising an order of play for Wednesday, combining unplayed first-round matches with some second-round contests.

Here, the PA news agency takes a look at what promises to be an exciting day’s action.

Jodie’s Centre stage

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Jodie Burrage’s reward for registering her first win at Wimbledon is opening up Centre Court’s schedule on Wednesday.

The 24-year-old was best known for her affiliation with the Percy Pig sweets after offering some to a stricken ball boy at last year’s event but it is her tennis that is attracting attention this year.

She will have it tough in the second round against 11th seed Daria Kasatkina, but she is playing with confidence after an excellent grass-court season and a partisan home crowd could help deliver one of her best career wins.

Brit watch

Burrage is one of seven home players in action in a packed schedule around the grounds. Youngster Arthur Fery gets the honour of opening Court One against Daniil Medvedev and Heather Watson follows in a tough assignment against 10th seed Barbora Krejcikova.

George Loffhagen will finish his match against Holger Rune, finding himself a set down after Tuesday’s play, while Katie Boulter completes her contest with Daria Saville that began 24 hours previously.

Jan Choinski is also scheduled to play his former doubles partner Hubert Hurkacz.

Clearing the backlog

It will have been a nightmare for tournament officials to plan, but punters will get value for money as the schedule is packed following Tuesday’s effective washout.

There are a host of first-round matches that have yet to even start, while all of Tuesday’s outside court matches need to be finished.

With 18 second-round clashes also due to get under way, some courts are set to host five matches should the weather stay fair.

Iga and Novak hoping for calm

Amid all the chaos of matches elsewhere, big hitters Novak Djokovic and Iga Swiatek will be hoping to go about their business in serene fashion on Centre Court.

Women’s world number one Swiatek, in search of her first title at SW19, follows Burrage against Spaniard Sara Sorribes Tormo, against whom she should have few problems.

Djokovic is seemingly invincible on Centre Court, unbeaten in the arena since the 2013 final against Andy Murray, and Australian Jordan Thompson seems unlikely to be the man who is going to end that record.

Match of the day

The rain robbed fans of a potential classic clash between fifth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas and Dominic Thiem on Tuesday as the heavens opened midway through the second set.

They will return to finish on Wednesday and it is even more intriguing given Thiem won the opening set on his first outing at SW19 since 2019.

Tsitsipas is hardly rich in pedigree on the grass having never gone past the fourth round.

Murray will be among those looking on with interest as he will face the winner in the second round.

Order of playWeather

Dan Evans admitted switching off from tennis for a little while would help him get over more first-round disappointment at Wimbledon.

The British number two exited SW19 at the first hurdle for a fifth time in eight main draw appearances following a 6-2 6-3 6-7 (5) 6-4 defeat to France’s Quentin Halys.

Evans was knocked out by Australian Jason Kubler in round one last year and quickly found himself in the familiar position of being two sets down at the All England Club on Monday, but had to return on Tuesday to complete his match.

Rain produced a further delay and when all of the outside court matches were cancelled, Evans saw his clash moved to Centre Court where he pulled a set back.

But there would be no late-night heroics with Halys able to clinch his place in the second round with a booming forehand winner.

“I think now it’s important to spend time with family, friends. Tennis won’t be on my agenda for a little while,” Evans reflected after an underwhelming grass-court campaign.

“You know, it’s been a long six months or seven months, whatever it is. It’s important to recharge and get ready for a good swing in America, which I enjoy, but it’s important to rest as well. Yeah, that’s all I’m really going to do for a bit and then start back up.

“I think it’s important to totally switch off now. You know, it’s important to step away sometimes, to live a bit of a normal life and get away from living out of a suitcase for a long time.”

World number 30 Evans was at a loss to explain his flat display on Monday against a player who only made his Wimbledon debut in 2022.

After waiting all day to begin his comeback quest, Evans edged a third-set tie-breaker, much to the delight of those still in attendance on Centre Court.

Break points had been hard to come by for the Birmingham right-hander and when he was presented with an opportunity in the seventh game of the fourth set, Evans sent his forehand long and Halys claimed victory with his first match point to inflict a seventh defeat in eight for the 33-year-old home favourite.

Evans added: “I have done nothing different, so yeah it’s disappointing, but, you know, they’re good players out there. I think everyone is guilty of having opinions on certain players you should beat, you shouldn’t beat.

“I think when the draw came out, I must have had that many messages saying, ‘Quentin Halys is a clay court player’. It’s very easy to overlook people.

“They’re all good players on the tour and you have to put them away, that’s what I try and do but if I’m losing, which I am at the minute, you know – I wouldn’t say I’ve hit a wall. It’s frustrating, it’s annoying, it’s whatever.

“But I’m not sure what else you can do. You’ve just got to keep competing. It is no good practising, I tried that. I tried to take Eastbourne off and took Nottingham off, and first round, first round, it’s incredibly frustrating.”

Having not dropped outside of the top-40 since 2020, Evans will hope to bounce back for the hard-court US swing in August.

He will have to spend some of the next few weeks working out his coaching team after splitting with Sebastian Prieto last month.

“I’ve got to look at that,” Evans acknowledged.

“You know, I’ll leave incredibly frustrated after tonight, to work hard and then serve a double at 30-all.

“But like I said previously, it’s important to switch off. When I feel it’s right, I’ll start thinking about it.”