Djokovic tips Kyle to claw his way to the top
When novak Djokovic, Rafael nadal and Andy Murray finally fade away, we will find out how good the likes of Kyle edmund can be.
In the early hours of yesterday Djokovic gave edmund a chastening introduction to the sort of thing you face when making the last 16 of the US Open.
A huge stadium and an unrelenting opponent were too much, this time, for the 21-year-old from the east Riding, with the world no 1 easing through 6-2, 6-1, 6-4.
edmund’s nervous performance in the first two sets may, unwittingly, have played Djokovic back into form. It was like watching a master batsman, having been in scratchy nick, rediscovering his touch through facing a loose spell of bowling.
The 29- year- old Serb has, however, seen enough of edmund to know that he is among the better prospects on the ATP Tour, as he demonstrated by beating top-20 players Richard Gasquet and John Isner.
Asked if edmund was destined for the top 30 or better Djokovic said: ‘no doubt. If he keeps going on the path he’s on right now, there is no doubt that he has the quality to get there. he knows there is work ahead of him. he needs to stay committed.
‘But he does seem like a profile of a person and a player that is very committed, very professional, down-to- earth, nice guy, good manners. So I’m quite confident he’s going to get there soon.’ edmund backed that analysis up by itemising a list of things he needs to improve, and as a good student he undoubtedly will.
‘I need to get my serve better,’ he admitted. ‘ My forehand’s my strength but that needs to continue to develop. I’ve got to get better at my movement. I’ve got to get better at shot management.’
he will never be another Murray, but the chances are that he will be somewhere among the group pressing their claims when the current handful of truly exceptional players have waned.
This US Open suggests that British tennis as a whole is in a better position than for many years to take advantage of the professional game’s coming age of uncertainty, which will also see the Williams sisters losing their dominance.
While Murray’s positive influence has been rightly cited in the past week, a less obvious or glamorous factor is the strong group of British coaches that is emerging.
The likes of edmund’s mentor Ryan Jones and Dan evans’s coach Mark hilton are at the forefront of a cluster at Flushing Meadows. Professional and committed, they have fed off the effect of the success brought by the Davis Cup team, which sees Murray and Leon Smith insist on the highest standards. Smith will today announce the squad for next week’s semi-final against Argentina in Glasgow, in which edmund and evans will figure prominently.
Former US Open champion Juan Martin del Potro, among those likely to face GB next week, last night made it through to his first Grand Slam quarter-final since Wimbledon 2013 after his opponent Dominic Thiem retired with a knee injury when trailing 6-3, 3-2.
Del Potro will play third seed Stanislas Wawrinka, who beat Illya Marchenko of Ukraine 6-4, 6-1, 6-7, 6-3 while Serena Williams cruised through to the quarter-finals when she beat Yaroslava Shvedova 6-2, 6-3, recording her 308th Grand Slam win to put her one ahead of previous record holder Roger Federer. Williams now meets fifth seed Simona halep.