Wimbledon 2018: British No 1 Kyle Edmund loses to Novak Djokovic in third round as home hope extinguished

For the first time in 11 years Britain will not have a singles player competing in the second week of Wimbledon

For the first time in 11 years Britain will not have a singles player competing in the second week of Wimbledon after Kyle Edmund’s run was ended by Novak Djokovic here on Saturday. The world No 17, who for the last four Grand Slam tournaments in a row has been the last British singles player of either sex left standing, was unable to build on a promising start and was beaten 4-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-4.

In the absence of the injured Andy Murray, Edmund has done his best to fly the flag, but the 23-year-old Briton had the misfortune to run into a three-times champion who is rebuilding his game after two difficult years. Djokovic still has a way to go before he rediscovers the level that brought him 12 Grand Slam titles and a total of 223 weeks at the top of the world rankings, but the signs are that he is on the right road.

Edmund, who had won only one match in his five previous visits to the All England Club, has enjoyed the best grass-court season of his career and could climb to a new career-high position of No 15 in the world rankings next week, but the task of beating a rejuvenated Djokovic proved beyond him.

The excitement levels in Centre Court were already high when the players walked out at 5pm, just after England’s footballers had completed their World Cup quarter-final victory over Sweden in Russia. In the early stages Edmund appeared determined to ride the wave of national joy. He is normally one of the most undemonstrative of players but raised his fist in celebration after a number of key points.

Edmund demonstrated his customary strengths – in particular a sledgehammer forehand and a potent serve – and there were also examples of how his game is developing in new areas. The baseline is where he is most comfortable, but he surprised Djokovic with some sneak charges into the net, where he volleyed with confidence.

Djokovic, who had lost to Edmund in their most recent meeting on clay in Madrid two months ago, is certainly not the player he was when he won his three Wimbledon titles in 2011, 2014 and 2015, but after two troubled years and an elbow operation the 31-year-old Serb has started to look more like his old self. He made the quarter-finals at last month’s French Open and went on to demonstrate his grass-court prowess by reaching the final of the Fever-Tree Championships at Queen’s Club.

Whether or not Edmund had been inspired – or perhaps unnerved - by what he might have seen on television of England’s World Cup victory, the Briton made an edgy start. In his first service game two uncharacteristically nervous forehands gave Djokovic two break points, though the positive manner in which Edmund saved them was encouraging.

By the middle of the first set both men were hitting the ball sweetly, but it was Edmund who made the only break in a lengthy seventh game. Letting rip on his forehands for the first time, the Briton forced four break points. Djokovic saved the first three, but on the fourth Edmund got the better of a cat-and-mouse exchange at the net.

Edmund saved a break point in the following game and went 0-30 down when he served for the set at 5-4, but kept his nerve on both occasions. He served out in fitting style, finishing off the set with two successive unreturned serves to a huge ovation from the crowd.

Kyle Edmund has crashed out of Wimbledon (Getty)

When Edmund saved the first of two break points in the second game of the second set he raised a clenched first to the air, a la Andy Murray, but at 3-4 he was in trouble again. After saving three break points the Briton double-faulted on the fourth, after which Djokovic served out to level the match.

When Djokovic won the opening game of the third set, bellowing out a roar of celebration after Edmund missed a forehand on break point, it was clear that the momentum had shifted significantly. Edmund failed to convert a break point three games later and Djokovic broke again before taking the set with something to spare.

Edmund, nevertheless, fought hard to stay in contention. At 3-3 he saved four break points, but at 4-4 he was broken for the last time when he miscued a forehand after coming into the net. Djokovic served out to love to win the match, completing his victory after two hours and 53 minutes with an ace.

“It was tough,” Djokovic said afterwards. “Edmund has been playing really well lately. He won our last encounter, though it was on clay. He’s improved his game a lot, especially on the backhand side. We all know that his forehand was always a big weapon and his serve is much better. He was a set up and it was obviously not an ideal situation for me but I managed somehow to come back.”

Novak Djokovic got the job done eventually (Getty)

He added: “I’m looking forward to the second week. I’ve had plenty of success on Wimbledon’s courts in the last decade and I’m very grateful for that. I have some wonderful memories on both Court One and Centre Court and I’m just looking forward to compete some more.”

Djokovic now faces Russia’s Karen Khachanov, who recovered from two sets down to beat Frances Tiafoe, of the United States, 4-6, 4-6, 7-6, 6-2, 6-1.