Edmund wilts as final hopes get blown away
British No1 undone by Fritz’s powerful serve Consolation in having shaken off knee injury
On this occasion, Kyle Edmund could not even blame the seagulls.
Eastbourne’s noisy residents had been vexing him all week, not least when one landed on court in the middle of a point, but on the sunkissed South Coast yesterday the British No1 was the sole author of his misfortune. In the face of hugeserving Taylor Fritz, he froze here in sight of a potential third Tour final, cowed by a display of allamerican power.
By his own admission, Edmund performs best when he is at his bravest, giving expression to his full range of lethal groundstrokes. But here he became frustrated by his failure to deal with Fritz’s blunderbuss serve, succumbing 7-6, 6-3 and showing a familiar lack of grass court guile, which raises questions about his ability to go deep at Wimbledon.
After losing in the first round at Queen’s, Edmund had given himself a wildcard for Eastbourne, making good on that decision with impressive wins over fellow Britons Cameron Norrie and Dan Evans. But confronted with Fritz, whose serve topped 140mph, he looked devoid of ideas. True, Fritz was fearsome at times, responding to most break points against him by firing down an unreturnable serve. Equally, Edmund was his own worst enemy, throwing away the decisive tie-break by doublefaulting and miscuing a backhand volley.
“Sometimes, it doesn’t happen,” said Edmund, anticipating the criticism he would receive. “It’s not through lack of trying. I tried my hardest. In hindsight, it’s always easy to say, ‘Do this, hit this shot, put more balls in, play more aggressively.’ It’s situations in sport. I gave myself chances to get back in the match, but couldn’t take them. That’s the most frustrating thing.”
The 24-year-old’s wait for a final, since he beat Gael Monfils at the European Open in October, goes on. He should have asserted his game more strongly against Fritz, 11 places below him in the world rankings, but quailed on the biggest points. At least, after a summer blighted by knee injury, Edmund had the benefit of some precious match practice. “I’m just pleased to have played three matches in a week,” he said. “I haven’t had that in a while.”
Where he had started tentatively against Evans in the quarters, Edmund was far more purposeful as he set about subduing Fritz, an opponent he knew well after several practice sessions together this season. He could do little to repel the Californian’s missile of a serve, winning just two points in four games, but he held firm behind his own, sending the rangy Fritz scampering from one corner to another. His first chance presented itself courtesy of a rare Fritz double fault, but he flunked a crucial forehand.
The attrition was sustained into a compelling first-set tie-break, which Fritz wrapped up 10-8, Edmund squandering four set points. Edmund, as ever, was leathering his forehands as if his life depended on it, but all too often missing the target. Even his eyesight seemed to be deserting him, as he neglected to challenge a line judge’s “out” call on a ball that turned out to be in.
The moment he lost that battle of wills in the tie-break, Edmund found that his resilience went with it, as a series of unforced errors gifted Fritz an early break in the second. Just as he handed opportunities to the American on a silver salver, he was struggling to make any dents with his returns. Three break points came and went, as Fritz dug himself out of trouble with crushing first serves.
For all that he came across as a model of composure next to Edmund, he reflected later: “It was really nervy. I thought it could have gone either way.” Hugely talented as a junior, but still waiting for his first silverware in the senior ranks, he said: “Ever since my first final when I was 18, I have wanted a tour title so badly. I hope I can deliver.”
Fritz requires little introduction to Sam Querrey, the man he faces in today’s final, given the pair live in close proximity and almost mirror each other in their bludgeoning styles. Querrey, as he watched Fritz quell Edmund’s challenge, was in little doubt as to what he needed to do for the final, his first on grass since at Nottingham four years ago. “They’re both fearless players, big shots all around,” he said.
“Historically, those are the guys who do well on grass. If I’m going to beat them, I’ll have to meet their pace and power head on.”