By Owen Morgan

Evan Hoyt and Eden Silva joined an elite band of British tennis players when they knocked out the mixed doubles number 16 seeds on Saturday afternoon.

In the bad old days, before the success of the likes of Sir Andy Murray, Tim Henman and Johanna Konta, the old joke used to go: “What do you call a Brit in the second round of Wimbledon?”

“Umpire”.

The “joke” was something of an exaggeration and, of course, is not so topical now, but it’s still a major achievement for British players to reach the second week, and that’s just what Hoyt and Silva have done.

With no play on the middle Sunday, the all British pairing’s second round straight sets win over Divij Silva and Yingying Duan, means they will still be resident in SW 19 as the second week begins.

And a Welsh player in the final stages of the world’s most prestigious tennis tournament is an even greater rarity.

Hoyt is the first Welsh player to go beyond the second round of a senior event at Wimbledon since Bridgend-born Gerald Battrick reached the doubles quarter-finals in 1975.

The Llanelli player and his London-born partner reached the third round in fine style, comprehensively beating their more experienced opponents 6-3, 6-4.
Hoyt had predicted he and Silva would gain confidence from their first round victory over doubles legends Leander Paes and Sam Stosur, and the British pairing did just that.

They will now face Belgium’s Joran Vliegen and Zheng Saisai, of China in the last 16 of the competition.

The Belgian has good doubles form this year having reached the quarter-final at the French Open, whilst his partner has twice reached the doubles semi-finals at the Australian Open and this year reached the final at Roland Garros.

Hoyt won’t be the only Welsh player staying on for the second week. In the boys’ singles 18-year-old James Story enjoyed an equally impressive victory.

The Cardiff player progressed to the second round by knocking out number two seed Jonas Forejtek from the Czech Republic.