Edmund vows to battle on
Crolla warning for Campbell
KYLE EDMUND says he is still in love with tennis after his big tournament torment continued at Flushing Meadows.
The British No.1 was knocked out of the first round of the US Open for the second year in a row in a gruelling five-set showdown with Spaniard Pablo Andujar.
Edmund has failed to advance beyond the second round in any of the Grand Slams in 2019. The 24-year-old has been hampered by a knee injury and struggled to recapture the form that took him to the semi-final of the Australian Open 18 months ago.
Edmund is adamant he will come good again as he tried desperately to take the positives from his 6-3 6-7 5-7 7-5 6-2 defeat by Adujar, ranked 70th in the world.
Asked if he was still enjoying the sport, the world No.30 said: “Absolutely, I love tennis. It’s a great sport. There are so many things to improve and work on – your physical condition, as well as the tactical and mental sides. That’s exciting.
“Of course, you would love to see results and rewards for your efforts but tennis doesn’t work like that.
“I’m in a lot better place now compared to before. I would love to have won but I’m trying my best.”
ANTHONY CROLLA knows Luke Campbell will feel under constant threat against the formidable Vasyl Lomachenko.
The Mancunian (inset) faced the poundfor-pound superstar back in April and was stopped inside four torturous rounds in LA.
Now Campbell steps up to the challenge against the WBO and WBA lightweight champion at the O2 on Saturday, with the vacant WBC title also up for grabs.
Crolla, 32, believes the Hull man – 20-2 as a pro – has a chance to cause what he says would be the biggest upset ever by a British fighter and gave some insight into the size of the challenge.
“Jorge Linares beat me very well in our second fight but I still felt that I could come forward and look to land a shot to change it around,” said former WBA champion Crolla.
“But with Lomachenko after a round I thought, ‘I’m in trouble here, I have no say in what I can really do.’
“You feel constantly threatened with his feints and his feet. That is a sign of a different class of a fighter. I’m a former world champion yet I couldn’t do anything I wanted to.”
There is a reason Lomachenko lost only one bout out of 396 in the amateurs, won two Olympic golds and had world titles in three weights after just 12 pro fights. There is the footwork, the feints, the hand speed, the shot selection and his ability to find angles nobody else can. “There is not a fighter more difficult in the world to prepare for,” said Crolla.
“He finds spaces you don’t think are there and varies the power. It’s hard to judge his power, speed and shot selection. He’s a complete fighter.” Now it is up to Campbell to see if he can be just the second man in the world to ever beat Lomachenko in the ring.
The Ukrainian is facing lightweight and arguably greatest ever amateur.
“It’s not an impossible task,” added Crolla. “Luke is one of the greatest amateurs we’ve produced. But it is a very small chance.” Britain’s best this country’s (right)