Jay Clarke insists Wimbledon disappointment won't take shine off year

Jay Clarke insists he won't let the disappointment of a first round defeat at Wimbledon take the shine off a year to remember for the Derby player.

Making his first appearance in the main draw for three years after struggles with injury, Clarke lost out to compatriot Dan Evans 6-1 7-5 6-2, bringing a swift end to his return to SW19.

But Clarke - who is ranked 199th in the world - is refusing to dwell on the result, with his focus firmly on moving forward after rediscovering his love for the sport.

"It's just one match, at the end of the day," said Clarke. "I've had a good year so far. At the start I was outside 300, and now I'm back up to 180-something in the world."

"We're only six months into the year. There's still another six months. This one match doesn't mean I'm cr*p. It doesn't mean I'm amazing either. I just need to basically get better.

"If I did a few things better, maybe I would have taken the second set after I got the break but that's the thing with tennis, especially on grass.

"The margins are small, but a couple of points here and there, and potentially being 4-All turns into a 6-1 set. There's no hiding from it. I need to get better. That's what my focus is on now."

Clarke's Wimbledon return was the latest chapter in his comeback story, having undergone wrist surgery in 2023, months after reaching a career-high placing of 153.

And the world No.199 hopes that the worst is finally behind him, as he plots a return to those heady highs.

"The wrist is fine now," said Clarke. "That's what's given me so much confidence. That I should be able to play so many weeks in a row and to train properly and actually not think about it. To not have to take so long out between tournaments to rest it and to rehab and stuff like that.

"I'm really happy with where I'm at. My ranking goal at the start of the year was to end the year inside the top 200, and I've done that six months early.

"It stings today, but I'm in a good place with where I said I wanted to be six months ago."

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