In a surprising turn of events at the Dubai Tennis Championships, a pigeon interrupted the first-round match between Dan Evans and Karen Khachanov. The unexpected avian visitor caused a brief disruption during one of Evans’ service games, adding an unusual twist to the already tense match.
Dan Evans, who had not played a main draw ATP Tour match since October, faced a challenging draw against the top-25 star Khachanov. Despite having a previously unbeaten 5-0 record against the Russian, Evans struggled to find his rhythm. The British No. 5, who received a wildcard into the ATP 500 event, was broken early in the match and faced further difficulties when the pigeon made its appearance.
The interruption by the pigeon seemed to unsettle Evans, who was already grappling with a lack of competitive play. Khachanov capitalized on the situation, maintaining his composure and ultimately securing a 6-1, 6-3 victory over Evans. This win marked Khachanov’s first triumph over Evans, who had previously defeated him in a thrilling five-set match at last year’s US Open.
The match’s unusual interruption by the pigeon added an unexpected element to the game, highlighting the unpredictable nature of live sports. Despite the setback, Evans’ participation in the Dubai Tennis Championships marked his return to the ATP Tour, and he will undoubtedly be looking to regain his form in upcoming tournaments.
Khachanov in Dubai, ranking, and results in 2025
LLWLWLWLLL Currently ranked no.24, Karen has managed to achieve a composed 3-4 record in 2025. Khachanov is competing in Dubai where he overcame the world no.178 Daniel Evans 6-1 6-3.
Khachanov won 7 titles in his career: 3 on hard courts and 4 on indoor courts. (See the list of his titles)
Daniel Evans in 2025
LLWWLLLWLW Now the world no.178, Evans played his last match on the 24th of February when he was overcome by world no.24 Karen Khachanov 6-1 6-3 in the 1st round in Dubai (draw).
Currently, during this year Daniel owns a 3-7 match record.
Karen Khachanov and Daniel Evans faced off 6 times. Their current record is 5-1 for Evans.
