KYLE BURIES ACE GOFFIN
BY NEIL McLEMAN KYLE EDMUND destroyed world No. 10 David Goffin yesterday to reach the quarter-finals of the Madrid Open.
The British No.1 backed up his shock win over Novak Djokovic with another brilliant display on the clay to triumph 6-3 6-3 in only 72 minutes.
It is the second time Edmund has beaten a top-10 player this season after he saw off world No.3 Grigor Dimitrov to reach the semi-finals of the Australian Open in January.
And victory over Goffin gains revenge for losing to the Belgian in the first match of the Davis Cup final in 2015.
Edmund, who could rise to world No.11 by reaching Sunday’s final, said: “I did a lot of good things.
“I managed my game very well and picked my moments to be aggressive.
“I served really well to get some easy games and get out of tricky situations.
“Playing the big points is just a mindset. Not thinking too much – just being controlled and relaxed.
“It doesn’t help worrying about anything – it is just going through the process of my serve and then I know I want to get on to my forehand.
“I was very pleased – he is a top-10 player.”
Edmund now faces Denis Shapovalov after the teen beat fellow Canadian Milos Raonic 6-4 6-4.
Rafa Nadal broke John McEnroe’s record for consecutive set wins on a single surface as he moved into the quarter-finals.
Nadal beat Argentina’s Diego Schwartzman 6-3 6-4 on the clay to take his winning set streak to 50 and eclipse McEnroe’s total which the American achieved on carpet in 1984.
World No.6 Juan Martin del Potro crashed 3-6 6-4 7-6 (7-6) to Dusan Lajovic.
The Serb savoured his first victory over a top-10 player and said: “I still am not believing it.”