Britain’s Dan Evans said his doubles opponents were “embarrassing” after becoming involved in a on-court row at the French Open.
The British singles number one and Polish partner Hubert Hurkacz beat Dutchman Matwe Middelkoop and Brazilian Marcel Demoliner in the first round.
But Evans confronted his opponents in the third set when they claimed the ball had hit Evans during a point.
“Some of these guys seem to be happy to give it out to us,” Evans said.
“But they don’t like it when it comes back their way. I was pretty angry on the court. I don’t like that.
“There’s one thing that us Brits are is too fair in my opinion. I would say if it hit me. I don’t think it hit me.
“They won the point so I don’t see what the big deal is. It’s embarrassing chat from the pair of them. It’s desperation in my opinion. I’m still seething.”
Evans and Hurkacz eventually won 7-6 (7-2) 3-6 7-5.
Third seeds, Britain’s Joe Salisbury and American Rajeev Ram, won 6-4 7-6 (7-1) against French pair Gregoire Barrere and Quentin Halys.
Scotland’s Jonny O’Mara also moved into round two alongside Marcelo Arevalo.
They cruised through in a 6-1 6-2 win against Spain’s Albert Ramos-Vinolas and Italy’s Gianluca Mager.
But fellow Britons Luke Bambridge, Heather Watson, Dominic Inglot and Emily Webley-Smith lost in their respective matches.
Bambridge and Japan’s Ben McLachlan went out after a 6-4 7-6 (7-4) defeat by ninth seeds Wesley Koolhof and Nikola Mektic.
Watson, who was the sixth and final Briton to lose in the singles on Tuesday, played with Spain’s Lara Arrubarrena in the women’s doubles and the pair were beaten by Belgians Greet Minnen and Alison van Uytvanck.
Inglot, playing alongside Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi of Pakistan, lost in three sets to the French pairing of Manuel Guinard and Arthur Rinderknech.
Webley-Smith, 36, was making her Roland Garros debut – and her first appearance in a Grand Slam main draw since Wimbledon in 2004 – after a late call into the draw.
However, there was no fairytale win as the Briton and Germany’s Vivian Heisen lost 6-2 6-3 to Australia’s Ajla Tomljanovic and Alison Riske of the United States.
Article courtesy of BBC Sport
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