TALE OF 2 SPORT HEROES
Middle-class boy from Yorkshire village hailed as new Andy Murray after powering into quarter-finals of the Australian tennis open …
‘I believe I’m going to win’
As up and coming sports stars go, they don’t get more squeaky clean than Kyle Edmund.
The 23-year- old – brought up by middle-class parents in a quiet Yorkshire village – keeps his counsel and stays out of the limelight.
But he now stands on the verge of entering Britain’s tennis hall of fame – and being accepted as the long-awaited successor to Andy Murray.
A series of surprise victories at the Australian Open have seen him make the quarter-finals – the only British player to do so, aside from Murray, since John Lloyd in 1985.
Those who know the ex- state school boy put it down to his steely determination and focus.
But such attributes seem in stark contrast to other sports heroes if reports from the weekend prove correct.
While Edmund concentrated on preparations for his big day, Arsenal’s Alexis sanchez – set to become England’s bestpaid footballer – was fending off sleazy claims that he had offered a student cash for sex behind his girlfriend’s back.
The success of Edmund has reversed fears over the future of British tennis. At 30, Murray is fast approaching the twilight of his career as he continues to take time off to recover from a lingering hip injury.
Edmund, nicknamed Kedders, was born in Johannesburg in 1995, but moved to the village of Tickton at three when his parents steven, 49, and Denise, 50, relocated to east Yorkshire.
unlike many elite tennis players, he was not groomed in the sport from an early age, preferring cricket and swimming instead. He only switched to tennis at the age of ten after a few lessons at the David Lloyd Racquet and Fitness Club in Hull, where coaches quickly realised his potential.
A bright youngster, he went to Beverley Grammar school before forming part of the British team that won the Junior Davis Cup for the first time in 2011. By the age of 17 he was enrolled at the Lawn Tennis Association’s elite training centre in London, returning to his family’s £350,000 home at the weekend.
In 2015, Edmund was part of the team that delivered Britain’s first Davis Cup victory in 79 years. He is ranked 49th in the world and number two in Britain, thanks in part to his particularly powerful forehand and muchimproved serve.
If he is to win tomorrow’s quarter-final, he would take home more than £500,000. The winner of this year’s event will be awarded £2.32million. According to the profile on the Wimbledon 2018 website, Edmund’s career prize money to date stands at around £1,170,000.
Off the court, Edmund is unassuming, friendly and notably wellmannered. His success is an immense source of pride for his company director father steven, mother Denise, who runs a small payroll business, and 21-year-old sister Kelly.
Yesterday his father said: ‘We are very proud, not necessarily about his achievements this week, but more with his efforts and application over the last 12 years. It’s great that he is maturing into a wonderful young man, enjoying his tennis and seeing the results this year.’
In recognition of his emerging star status, Edmund recently secured a multimillion-pound deal with Nike. His success has not come without its drawbacks, however. In March last year he exposed the scale of online abuse he faces after losing matches.
Following a defeat to Novak Djokovic, he revealed a series of violent threats he was sent on Facebook, one of which said he ‘needs to be brutally raped and slaughtered’.
Edmund will face Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria in the quarterfinals tomorrow. After his victory yesterday, he said: ‘That’s why I’m in the quarter-finals – because every time I step on the court, I believe I’m going to win.’