Evans, '16 Aptos champ, tests positive for cocaine

Daniel Evans practices during the U.S. Open last
August. Photo by Paul Bauman

   England's Daniel Evans, who won the $100,000 Aptos (Calif.) Challenger last August and reached the 2013 final there, faces a suspension after admitting he tested positive for cocaine in April.
   Evans, ranked 50th, held a news conference in London today but took no questions.

   “It’s really important you know this was taken out of competition and the context was completely unrelated to tennis,” said Evans, 27. “I made a mistake, and I must face up to it. I can only deeply apologize from the bottom of my heart.”

   Evans, only 5-foot-9 (1.75 meters) and 165 pounds (75 kilograms), reached a career-high No. 41 in March. He failed a doping test on April 24 at the Barcelona Open.    

   “Mr. Evans will be provisionally suspended with effect from 26 June … pending determination of the case,” the International Tennis Federation said in a statement.
   Evans withdrew from next week's grass-court tournament in Eastbourne with a calf injury and is doubtful for Wimbledon, which begins a week from Monday.
   Three weeks after beating countryman Cameron Norrie in last year's Aptos final, Evans almost pulled off a huge upset in the U.S. Open. He held a match point in a 4-6, 6-3, 6-7 (6),  7-6 (8), 6-2 loss to No. 3 seed and eventual champion Stan Wawrinka in the third round.

    Evans lost to Stanford alumnus Bradley Klahn in the 2013 Aptos final after holding a championship point.