Kyle is crushed by Kukushkin

KYLE EDMUND failed to follow up his win over Andy Murray as he crashed out to Mikhail Kukushkin in the quarter-finals of the Nature Valley International at Eastbourne.

The British No.1 believes he can beat anyone in the world and showed his potential by despatching a fit-again Murray on Wednesday.

But against Kukushkin of Kazakhstan he offered resistance only in the first set before going on to lose 5-7 6-3 6-1. It was a match full of mistakes and misery for Edmund and in two hours and 14 minutes his dream had perished.

Clearly Edmund was feeling the after affects of beating Murray, who has deferred a decision on whether he will play at Wimbledon for another 24 hours.

Kukushkin, who received medical attention during the match, will take on Mischa Zverev in the semi-finals after the German beat third seed Denis Shapovalov in straight sets 6-3 6-3.

There was disappointment also for British No.2 Cameron Norrie, who fell to Lukas Lacklo of Slovakia.

Norrie, born in South Africa, brought up in New Zealand, and who learned the game in the USA, is now based in London and enjoying a career-best ranking of 79.

But the left-hander, whose father is Scottish and mother is Welsh, went down to Lacklo, ranked 25 places below him, 6-3 6-4.

It was not a successful day for Britons in Wimbledon qualifying either.

James Ward’s 4-6 2-6 6-1 0-6 defeat to Frenchman Benjamin Bonzi means that not one of the 15 home players have made it through to today’s draw.