Edmund admits defeat in race to lead Davis Cup bid

FOR someone who has just made a Grand Slam breakthrough, Kyle Edmund had a crestfallen look about him. A week after playing in the Australian Open semi-final, the 23-year-old Yorkshireman had just conceded defeat in his battle to carry British hopes in the Davis Cup first round against Spain, which begins in Marbella this morning. The absurdity of asking a player to switch 10 time zones and from hard to clay courts had been laid bare. Just under 1,000 tickets have been sold to British fans and they will now watch debutants Liam Broady and Cam Norrie tackle the thankless task of facing the home specialists on the red dirt. Edmund (above), who suffered a hip injury a week ago, said: ‘The transition takes a bit of time and I’m trying to manage some stuff in my body that’s not 100 per cent. It’s not far off, but the fact I’ve got a surface change as well, you can’t take lightly that you’ve got to play Spanish guys on clay. I’m not ready.’ Edmund could yet play on Sunday if the match is still alive.