A new hope for British tennis?

Britain’s junior players have attracted more attention for their exploits off the court than on it in recent months but Dan Evans was doing his best here today [Wednesday] to redress the balance. The 17-year-old from Birmingham, who is the No 3 seed in the Australian Open boys’ singles, won his third match in succession when he beat Ty Trombetta, of the United States, 6-3, 6-2. In tomorrow’s [Thursday’s] quarter-finals he was due to meet Yuki Bhambri, a 15-year-old from India.

At 5ft 9in Evans will need to grow if he is to make a major impact on the senior stage, but his ability on the court has been clear. He reached the quarter-finals of the US Open last year and if he beats Bhambri he will become the first Briton to reach the last four of a Grand Slam junior tournament since Andy Murray won the title in New York four years ago.

No 9 in the junior world rankings, Evans has enjoyed a productive month during his first visit to Australia. He is with a group of British youngsters under the charge of Martin Bohm and Martin Lee and has adapted quickly to the newly-laid Plexicushion courts at Melbourne Park, although he regards clay as his best surface.

Before heading for Melbourne Park he reached the final of the 18-and-under boys’ doubles at the Nottinghill junior tournament in partnership with Dan Cox. The British pair played together again here and reached the quarter-finals before losing today [Wednesday] to Cheng Peng Hsiesh and Tsung-Hua Yang.

Evans is well-travelled. Last year he won a tournament in Paraguay, was a runner-up in the Czech Republic and reached a semi-final in Chile. He also had a successful year in a doubles partnership with David Rice, winning tournaments in Brazil, Uruguay and France.

Evans’ idol as he learned the game was Tim Henman and he cherishes the memory of joining the former British No 1 and the rest of the Davis Cup team when they prepared for their tie against the Netherlands in Birmingham last summer. John Lloyd, the British captain, invited Evans to join the squad and he was hitting with Henman and Jamie Murray before their singles matches on the final day.

Although Evans admits his own disciplinary record is not unblemished – the Lawn Tennis Association withdrew him from the Wimbledon junior tournament two years ago for being, in his own words, “stupid on court” – he provides a welcome contrast to the example of Marcus Willis, who was sent home by the LTA before the tournament here began after he had ignored a final warning about his slack attitude.

Last summer Rice and Naomi Broady were suspended for “unprofessional behaviour” after publicising a lifestyle of drinking and eating junk food on a social networking website, while other British juniors were warned about their future conduct.

Evans, however, rejected the suggestion that there was a widespread problem with misbehaving British juniors, though he understood why the LTA had sent Willis home. “At least it shows they are stamping down on poor discipline,” Evans said.

Coached by Mark Hilton at the City of Nottingham Tennis Centre, Evans does not come from a tennis-playing family. “My Dad plays squash,” he said. “Mum hates tennis. She’s only watched me play about four times and she just told me to stop swearing.”