IT was at London’s Queen’s Club just last month that Andy Murray labelled Kyle Edmund the future of British tennis and in Belgrade yesterday, the young Englishman began to show he might just be right as he put Britain 1-0 up on Serbia in their quarter-final.
Several downpours – or more accurately, apocalyptic meteorological interludes – had fans scurrying for cover but Edmund found the time to produce his first Davis Cup win, a 6-3, 6-4, 6-0 victory over Janko Tipsarevic that puts Britain in control.
"I got off to a great start and found my game," said a delighted Edmund.
James Ward will play Dusan Lajovic in the second singles today, along with the doubles, where Jamie Murray and Dom Inglot will hope to seal the tie.
It would be asking a lot for Edmund to have anything like the success of Murray, who was there yesterday to support his team-mates, despite deciding not to play in the wake of his superb Wimbledon triumph last weekend.
With Novak Djokovic and Victor Troicki also sitting this one out, the match is up for grabs but between the rain showers Edmund showed the kind of form that has helped to take some of the pressure off Murray as Britain defend the title they won in such stunning fashion last November.
Edmund’s only previous singles experience in Davis Cup came in the opening rubber of last year’s final, when he led David Goffin by two sets to love before fading and losing in five sets.
That was an eye-opener for the 21-year-old Englishman but something that showed him he belonged at this level. Ranked 102 at the end of 2015, he is now a career-high No.67 and growing in confidence with every outing.
An early exit at Wimbledon – having performed taken a set off Murray at Queen’s, prompting the Scot to make his statement – was disappointing but Edmund is far more at home on clay and he looked in total command between the rain storms.
His serve is a big weapon and forehand is a stroke of brutal beauty, whipping through the ball with vicious topspin at high velocity, creating angles that were far too much for Tipsarevic, back from injury but struggling to recapture top form.
Edmund had to dig deep early on to save a service game before the first delay, at 2-1, and then cruised through the rest of the set.
Leading 2-0 in the second, Edmund’s momentum was stopped and Tipsarevic broke back for 3-3, only for the Briton to break again and then take the second set.
The third was a procession and with Ward and then the doubles to come today, Britain will be big favourites.
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