US Open: Dan Evans revels in 'best win of my career' after beating Alexander Zverev to reach third round

Dan Evans beat Alexander Zverev 6-4, 6-4, 5-7, 6-2 to reach the US Open third round

Dan Evans beat Alexander Zverev to reach the third round of the US Open (Getty)

Britain's Dan Evans celebrated the biggest win of his career as he took apart German rising star Alexander Zverev at the US Open.

Nineteen-year-old Zverev, ranked 28th in the world, is considered one of the game's brightest young talents, but Evans rose to the challenge at Flushing Meadows to triumph 6-4, 6-4, 5-7, 6-2.

It is only Evans' third victory against a top-30 opponent and his reward is a round-three meeting with two-time grand slam champion Stan Wawrinka.

"It was probably the best win of my career," Evans said. "The situation and circumstances, late at night, difficult mentally. To come back in the fourth and get on top was good."

Evans joins Andy Murray and Kyle Edmund in making progress, meaning Britain has three men in the US Open third round for the first time since 1968.

Dan Evans defeated rising German star Alexander Zverev (Getty)

The 26-year-old has form for upsetting a big name in New York, having beaten Kei Nishikori, then world number 12, here in the first round three years ago.

But while that victory felt like something of a one-off, this has come on the cusp of an upward curve for Evans, who broke the top 100 for the first time in April and has since climbed to 64th in the rankings.

Central to his rise has been both a sharpening focus and increased maturity, both of which were in evidence during an occasionally fractious contest under the floodlights of Court Four.

In contrast, Zverev was often simmering with frustration, the teenager regularly venting at officials, Evans and on one occasion, his racket. The German has an impressive array of shots but mental resilience still appears under-developed.

He was particularly irritated by Evans celebrating his double faults.

"It was nothing personal against him or anything," Evans said. "Just fired up, as was he, I think. Nothing bad.

"I don't have any sort of anything against him. I wouldn't think he's got anything against me."

For Evans, there is also the added carrot of a Davis Cup semi-final against Argentina later this month, where he is vying for the second singles spot with Edmund. Captain Leon Smith was watching on in the crowd and would surely have been suitably impressed.

A rain-interrupted afternoon meant the match did not start until almost 9pm local time but, after a long wait, it was Evans who settled quickest, breaking in the very first game and holding on to serve out the set.

Zverev looked to be finding his rhythm when he went 2-0 up early in the second but double faults gifted two breaks to Evans, with the second prompting an episode of serious racket-lashing into the court.

Evans hailed his victory over Zverev as 'the best win of my career' (Getty)

Zverev was given a code violation by umpire Ali Nili and, when Evans swapped sides, he rather pointedly asked the ball boys if they might come and clear the residual shavings of aluminium.

Tensions rose again at 5-4, as Evans spurned three set points, and Zverev raged after claiming to hear a line judge call a ball out.

Evans finally served out for a two-set lead but Zverev continued to feel aggrieved, this time at his opponent for celebrating his double faults.

There was the threat of a comeback in set three, when Zverev was more assertive and broke twice to reduce the deficit, but Evans never flinched.

A superb drop-shot sealed one break early in the fourth before a blistering backhand pass grabbed another for 5-2. Evans served out to confirm victory in three hours and nine minutes before saluting the enraptured crowd that had stayed.

PA