Edmund digs deep to battle back in clash with Evans
KYLE EDMUND had to unearth his aggression and power to fight back and beat Dan Evans after being shellshocked 6- 1 in the opening set at Eastbourne yesterday.
The British No1 recovered his touch to triumph 1- 6, 6- 3, 6- 4 in the quarter- final to set up a last- four clash with American Taylor Fritz.
But he admitted later to being somewhat lethargic early on. “The personality of my game is aggressive and explosive and powerful,” said Edmund. “It’s tough to do that with a very sort of laid- back approach, very sort of lethargic.
“That’s probably how I was going about my business in the first set. I needed to change and I did change that.
“I used the fresh start – as in 0- 0, just start again, put up a bit of a clean slate – that’s what I did.
“From the second set onwards, when I got that break, from then on I really felt like I dominated a lot more rallies or points than I did in the first set, using my forehand game on the run.
“Credit to Dan for putting his stamp on it. But also, I could have done a lot better and a lot more to stop that or put a bit more of my stamp on it.
“But the best thing from that is to react to it – and I did.
“I just got more engaged, put my personality and engagement into the match and my game. I have good ability to be aggressive and take control of rallies and games.”
Unseeded Fritz, ranked 42nd in the world, defeated Poland’s Hubert Hurkacz 6- 4, 7- 6, and Edmund said: “I have practised with him in Europe this year and found him quite aggressive, taking a lot of balls. He’s a big guy with good first serves.
“Compared to Dan, Taylor Fritz is a completely different player. You naturally make that adjustment without thinking – you sort of do that and you play.
“You know there is not going to be as many slices. He’s going to be taking on the ball more.”
As for Evans, he is simply looking forward to the “big one” and getting more matches under his belt.
“It [ my grass- court season] has been great,” he said. “I got a lot of matches.
“Hopefully, now I go up to Wimbledon with a good chance of getting some more matches.
“I have done some good preparation. Now the big one is here, so hopefully I can win some matches.”