EDMUND THE AXEMAN
Brit adds world No 3 to his list of scalps... and now faces Cilic
THE last time Marin Cilic played at the Australian Open, he was beaten in the first round by a British player wearing shirts he had bought himself from a local supermarket.
That was Dan Evans, enfant terrible of the British game who is currently serving a ban after testing positive for cocaine.
Cilic’s GB opponent this time will be the altogether more sober figure of Kyle Edmund, who will be attempting to join the list of most unlikely Grand Slam finalists this century when they meet in the last four tomorrow.
Edmund earned the right by bravely knocking out world No3 Grigor Dimitrov 6-4, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4.
The modest 23-year-old Yorkshireman is the type you might like your daughter to bring home — if you can get past the sight of him looking like a mad axeman when it comes to wielding the racket on his fearsome forehand.
It is more than 13 years since Tim Henman became the last British man before Andy Murray to make the semi-final of a Grand Slam at the US Open in 2004.
From a less parochial perspective, Edmund will now try to become the lowest-ranked player to reach a final of this magnitude since Cypriot Marcos Baghdatis, then aged 24, got that far 12 years ago at Melbourne Park.
The British No 2 will have to overcome sixth-seeded Cilic, who got past an eventually hobbling Rafael Nadal when the Spaniard abruptly retired with a leg-muscle injury, trailing 6-3, 3-6, 7-6, 2-6, 0-2.
Edmund is not the type to get carried away but, by his standards, he could hardly contain his delight after beating a world top-five player for the first time in 12 matches.
‘I am loving it right now, just the way I’m playing,’ he said. ‘I’m 23, in my first Grand Slam semi-final. It was the first time I played on one of the biggest courts in the world and to beat a player of the quality of Grigor...
‘Of course all these things I’m aware of. They’re great feelings.’
Looking ahead to his showdown with Cilic, he added: ‘I’ll believe I can win that, like today and every other match. I’m in a good place. There’s no reason why I can’t go out there and put a good level on the court, enjoy the occasion again. A semis of a Grand Slam, I’ll just try to take it in my stride as best as I can.’
While Edmund will be a very different proposition to Evans for Cilic, make no mistake that the rangy Croatian bears no resemblance to the player who was humbled here 12 months ago.
Back then he was still drained by a late-season finish which saw him lose in the final of the Davis Cup, and described himself as feeling ‘empty’ that day.
It might be tempting to think that Nadal’s injury has offered some kind of free pass, but Wimbledon finalist Cilic — who Andy Murray beat in the same stage here in 2010 — has looked very sharp this fortnight.
He acknowledged that he would be the favourite but said: ‘I’m going to prepare for that match like for any other one.
‘Kyle had an amazing run here. A lot of tough matches, he’s played great tennis. He’s also very entertaining to watch. Big hitter, great serve, great forehand. Plays great on the hard courts.
‘Obviously on paper it’s probably easier to play him than Rafa. But he still deserves to be here at the spot where he is. I cannot influence him much across the net, but I am going to try to take care of my things on my part of the court.’
Edmund took advantage of an unexpectedly wayward display from Dimitrov. The Bulgarian looked like he had an adverse reaction to his big win over Nick Kyrgios in the fourth round but the big difference was the way Edmund stepped it up when he needed to on the big points.
John McEnroe said of Edmund: ‘He looks much stronger than he has done before, he used to go away in these kind of matches so he deserves all the props he gets.
‘You’ve got to give him credit for hanging in there and for handling the pressure better. I have been impressed by him and he has certainly got weapons.’
Nadal, meanwhile, will go for an MRI scan, having felt something pull badly during his fourth set against Cilic.
Of the so-called Big Four, only heavy tournament favourite Roger Federer, at 36, seems fully fit as he prepares to face Czech Tomas Berdych this morning.