British tennis player Dan Evans tests positive for cocaine

Posted June 23, 2017 7:00 am

The Associated Press

LONDON (AP) - British tennis player Dan Evans admitted Friday that he tested positive for cocaine in April and now faces a suspension.

The 27-year-old Evans, who reached a career-high ranking of No. 41 in March, organized a news conference in London and read a statement but took no questions.

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

The International Tennis Federation confirmed that Evans 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 ITF said in a statement.

Evans, who has dropped out of the top 50, was already a doubt for Wimbledon after pulling out of next week's grass-court tournament in Eastbourne with a calf injury.

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