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Australian Open 2023: Dan Evans beaten by Andrey Rublev in third round

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Dan Evans previously reached the fourth round of the Australian Open in 2017
Venue: Melbourne Park Dates: 16-29 January
Coverage: Commentary every day from 07:00 GMT on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra ‘Tennis Breakfast’ live from Melbourne, with selected live text commentaries and match reports on the BBC Sport website & app

Britain’s Dan Evans was overpowered by Andrey Rublev in the third round of the Australian Open on Saturday.

Evans lost 6-4 6-2 6-3 to fifth seed Rublev, who hit 60 winners to 22 unforced errors in a strong display.

Russia’s Rublev will face either Holger Rune or Ugo Humbert as he bids to reach the Melbourne quarter-finals for the first time.

Evans’ defeat leaves Andy Murray as the only British player left in either singles draw.

Murray faces Spanish 24th seed Roberto Bautista Agut from 08:00 GMT on Saturday.

Evans, who reached the fourth round in Melbourne in 2017, started well against Rublev, creating a break opportunity for a 4-3 lead in the first set.

However, Rublev saved it and broke to close out the set, before upping his aggression to win the next two sets in solid style.

Rublev thanked Evans after the match for giving him a banana during a changeover.

“I asked the ball boy, but Danny asked for bananas earlier and he had two so he just said ‘take it’, and I caught it,” Rublev said.

“He helped me with some energy, for sure. I had extra because I ate the banana.”

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