I’VE GOT THE BUG NOW AND I WANT MORE...
Edmund bows out but knows he can take on the very best
Kyle edmund had a few perplexing elements in reaching the last four of a Grand Slam, among them discovering the odd urban myth about himself.
‘The most surprising thing was the stuff off the court, like my dad’s got three more jobs than I knew he had, and that my first love was swimming, which I never knew,’ he said with amusement, considering his Australian Open adventure.
It came to a comprehensive end when, hampered to some degree by a hip strain, he lost 6-2, 7-6 (7-4), 6-2 to marin Cilic.
Would he now be buying a Ferrari with his £512,000 prize money?
‘I have a Jaguar deal, so I can’t,’ edmund pointed out.
Such inquiries come with the territory and he handled everything over the last 11 days, from the unaccustomed glare of publicity, to the searing heat, to the talents of Kevin Anderson and Grigor dimitrov.
Only when it came to tackling the proven class of Cilic, playing as skilfully and smartly as he has ever done, did he fall short.
Considerably short, in fact, on a balmy evening at the Rod laver Arena when you were often reminded of the rankings disparity that exists between them.
But edmund has much to be proud of, including a stubborn refusal to talk about the injury that clearly affected his movement towards the end.
He bluntly admitted: ‘I was below my standard and wish I could have played a lot better.’
There are consolations galore, and not just that he will no longer have to wear the garish pink creation that was his clothing sponsor’s standard issue at this tournament.
Aside from the money, next week he will be ranked no 27 and that will mean a seeding privilege at many tournaments, including probably the French Open and then Wimbledon.
Perhaps most importantly there is the knowledge that he belongs in loftier company than he might have thought, prior to this last fortnight.
While there has been an elevation in his status, he also observed that it is not quite accurate to describe him as an overnight sensation.
‘I reached the fourth round of the uS Open (in 2016),’ he said. ‘I beat quality players there, Richard Gasquet and John Isner and stuff. I know I can beat those players. It’s just obviously doing it a bit more consistently. What the ranking represents is how consistent players are.
‘This type of tournament just gives you the bug to want more. you know, once you get a taste, it’s like I want more of this. I’ll definitely go away from the whole week feeling positive.’
The month of January has been a good one. not only did he beat the 11th and third seeds over five sets here, in Brisbane he also beat the world’s most hotly tipped teenager, denis Shapovalov, and Hyeon Chung.
The context of the latter win is that the Korean is today due to face Roger Federer in the second semi-final.
edmund has few points to defend from last year in the next six weeks, so could make further rankings headway.
He is due to play for Great Britain in marbella against Spain next week in the davis Cup first round and said he hoped any injury would not prove an issue.
‘I’ll do everything I can to play, because I want to play. I want to be there with the team,’ he said.
After that, edmund will travel to play ATP tournaments in South America on clay before heading to America’s hard courts.
Cilic played a smart match against edmund, largely neutralising his forehand by jamming him into the advantage court and targeting his backhand.
The British no 2 went off court for treatment at the end of the first set. He then probably had his best spell after an argument in the fifth game of the second set, when fired up after claiming he had been hampered by an ‘out’ call during a point that saw a successful Hawkeye challenge from Cilic. He even summoned the referee.
edmund did not have much of a case and it was an uncharacteristic show of irascibility.
It was 3-3 in the tiebreak when he netted a forehand to concede a mini-break, and the Croat drove on from there as the Brit declined physically.
edmund probably would not have won, though, even if he had been fully fit, and he did not make that claim either.
next time he plays in a Grand Slam, at Roland Garros, he is likely to be seeded. If all went well, it is possible that he, Andy murray and Jo Konta could be significant home presences at Wimbledon this summer, which is quite a thought.