Britain’s Edmund crashes out as Evans sets up Federer clash

BRITISH men’s number one Kyle Edmund crashed out of the Australian Open in the first round, but there were wins for Dan Evans and Katie Boulter in Melbourne on Monday.

Twenty-four-year-old Edmund reached the semi-finals last year, but will not get the chance to repeat the feat after a 6-3, 6-0, 7-5 defeat to Tomas Berdych, which is set to drop him out of the world’s top 20.

Edmund, the 13th seed, showed evidence that he is still suffering from a knee problem and was never really in the match against the experienced Czech, who has a strong record in the tournament.

Edmund called the result a “reality check” and admitted: “It just shows where I am at the moment, my level and stuff, and how much and where I have to improve.”

Evans set up a second-round meeting with Roger Federer after winning his first main draw match at a grand slam in two years with a 7-5, 6-1, 7-6 (8) win over Tatsuma Ito, of Japan. The 28-year-old qualifier, who is still in the process of fighting back from a one-year drugs ban, played Federer in the third round of Wimbledon in 2016. Federer beat Uzbek Denis Istomin 6-3, 6-4, 6-4.

Cameron Norrie failed to build on reaching his first ATP Tour final last week as he was beaten in straight sets by Taylor Fritz. Norrie went to Melbourne full of confidence after his run in Auckland, but crashed 6-4, 7-6 (8-6), 6-2.

Boulter claimed one of the best victories of her career with a 6-0, 4-6, 7-6 (10-6) success over experienced Russian Ekaterina Makarova, but Harriet Dart suffered a 6-0, 6-0 defeat to Maria Sharapova, while compatriot Heather Watson was the first player to exit the tournament after a 6-1, 6-2 loss to 31st seed Petra Martic. Elsewhere, 17-time Grand Slam winner Rafael Nadal beat James Duckworth 6-4, 6-3, 7-5 to reach the second round. American John Isner, seeded ninth, was beaten 7-6 (7-4), 7-6 (8-6), 6-7 (4-7), 7-6 (7-5) by compatriot Reilly Opelka.