Kyle hits top form to stun 13th-seed Gasquet
KYLE EDMUND played the match of his life to storm into the second round of the US Open, blowing away 13th seed Richard Gasquet in straight sets.
The 21-year-old Brit dominated the world No.15 – the highestranked player he has ever beaten – from the start to triumph 6-2 6-2 6-3 in 101 minutes.
Britain’s hero in the recent Davis Cup win in Belgrade coped with the blistering heat far better than the 30-year-old Frenchman (below).
Gasquet briefly rallied in the third set to go a break up before Edmund roared back to polish him off. The delighted British No.4, rated 84th in the world, said: “I played better today than I thought I would.
“Even when he broke in the third, I wasn’t too worried because in the best of five sets, you always get ups and downs in momentum.
“I was just thinking he had still to win three sets and I only needed one. When I broke him back, I thought I would ramp it up a bit and I finished the match really well.” Edmund will face American wildcard Ernesto Escobedo in the next round. Andy Murray gets his campaign underway this evening against unseeded Lukas Rosol. And former British No.1 John Lloyd last night insisted the Wimbledon and Olympic champion can topple Novak Djokovic to become the best player in the world. Former GB Davis Cup captain Lloyd said: “Andy is going from strength to strength and I look forward to seeing these next couple of years and what he could achieve. “Novak Djokovic had better watch out. Murray’s coming after him now and he’s a different Murray. “Only a few years ago, we were wondering if he was ever going to win a Grand Slam because of all the mental side of it. “Now it’s: ‘How many will he win?’ “I think Andy’s got at least another three or four in him and I think he will become No.1 in the world at some stage.” Murray had a bust-up with Rosol last year in Munich when the Czech barged him at a changeover.
But Rosol, 31, insisted the issue was over. He said: “I don’t want to talk about that. We are good friends. It was something about nothing. Here, in the first round you have to get used to the surface, the balls and everything. I have nothing to lose against Andy.
“I’m looking forward to having a good match and while he is the favourite, I just try my best.”
British No.2 Aljaz Bedene reckons controversial Australian Nick Kyrgios doesn’t deserve his bad-boy reputation – but is planning to take advantage of any histrionics when he meets the No.14 seed in the first round at Flushing Meadows today.
Bedene said: “I know Nick a little bit. He’s a nice guy when he’s not playing tennis, but he’s a crazy guy when he is playing tennis.
“I know he loves the sport, he says he doesn’t but he enjoys performing.
“I have to stay focused on myself and see what happens, explore and try to play my best.”
Dan Evans starts his US Open with a match against American Rajeev Ram while in the women’s singles, Naomi Broady reckons her battle of the Brits with Laura Robson is too close to call.
Broady said: “I’d say it’s a pretty even match, I’m obviously ranked higher but Laura’s been ranked much higher than where I am.”