Tennis Controversial duel ended in celebrations: Alejandro Tabilo advances to Wimbledon second round

It took 24 hours, a rain suspension and some controversy for Alejandro Tabilo (19th ATP) to finally celebrate his passage to the second round of Wimbledon. The Chilean closed the match against the British Daniel Evans (60th) with a resounding 6-2, 7-5 and 6-3, equaling at least his best result in the cathedral of tennis.

A special victory not only because of the result, but because of everything that happened on Tuesday, when Tabilo and Evans began to play their duel. There, the Englishman brought out all his initial discomfort, undoubtedly influenced by the level of Jano, who punished him at all times. One of the postcards of this occurred in the fifth game, when the Englishman could not break despite two break opportunities. The National Bank celebrated vigorously, triggering the anger of his rival who went to reprimand them. “You have never practiced this sport in your life. “Don’t stop and look at me like that”, is the phrase he threw at them according to the media Séptimo Game.

But that was not all, since in the first set he also repeatedly requested the suspension of the match due to the state of the court, always claiming that the officials did not accept this request. Of course, in the second race the suspension was made due to a lack of light, causing a surprise celebration on the part of Evans. He clenched his fist and seemed happy on his bench, in a low and striking gesture, but which can be explained by the obvious superiority of his rival at that moment.

So, Wednesday’s day, delayed by several hours due to rain, started 6-2 and 3-3 in favor of the Chilean, who did not lose his best feelings and closed the second set 7-5. A logic that, although it seemed more equal in the third set, did not change at all, since a break in the eighth game allowed Ale to close the match with a resounding 6-3.

The victory on court 12 of the All England Tennis Club also becomes the first celebration of a national tennis player in a Grand Slam in 2024, since both in Australia and at Roland Garros, the Chilean representatives were eliminated in the first round. Now at Wimbledon, Jano was the only survivor of a phase that left Nicolás Jarry and Christian Garin on the way.

For Tabilo, however, this is the second time he has managed to win a match in the main draw at Wimbledon, replicating what he achieved in 2022 when he beat Laslo Djere early on and lost to Miomir Kecmanovic in the round of 16.

To improve this further, he will have to beat this Thursday Flavo Cobolli (48th), winner of the Australian Rinky Hijikata in the first round. The Italian in 2024 has become a nightmare for Chilean tennis players, beating them in the three matches he has faced them this season. He eliminated Nicolás Jarry at the Australian Open and at the Masters 1000 in Madrid, a tournament where he also beat Alejandro Tabilo.