Australian Open 2018: Kyle Edmund stuns Kevin Anderson with biggest win of his career to keep British interest alive

In the absence of Andy Murray, Edmund ensured a British name will remain in the men's singles draw after a brilliant five-set victory over the world No 12

(Getty)

There had been fears that Britain might wake up today to the news that it had no players left in the men’s singles here at the Australian Open, but Kyle Edmund did his country proud with the best win of his career. Edmund, who in the absence of the injured Andy Murray is Britain’s only competitor in the men’s singles, beat Kevin Anderson, the world No 12, 6-7, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4.

Anderson, who was runner-up at the US Open last year, twice led Edmund by a set and was a break up in the decider, but the 23-year-old Briton never lost his composure. He now faces a second-round meeting with the world No 60, Uzbekistan’s Denis Istomin, who sprang the biggest surprise of last year’s tournament with his victory over Novak Djokovic.

Edmund has gone further at a Grand Slam tournament in the past, having reached the fourth round of the US Open in 2016 after wins over Richard Gasquet (world No 15) and John Isner (world No 21), but in terms of the ranking of his opponent this was his biggest victory.

“It was a really good result for me,” Edmund said afterwards. “It was great to win at the end like that, for so many positive reasons - just getting through a tough match like that, against a quality player who had a good year last year and also started this year really well.”

Anderson has one of the game’s most dangerous serves. The 31-year-old South African hit 35 aces here to Edmund’s 11 and also struck 77 winners to the Briton’s 61. However, Edmund played better in more of the big moments, even if the tightness of the match was reflected in the total number of points won: 155 by Edmund and 154 by Anderson.

Edmund, who struck some thunderous forehands, was also the more consistent performer, making only 27 unforced errors in comparison with Anderson’s 44. While Anderson made some telling forays into the net, he was often pegged back by Edmund’s bold hitting.

“Kevin serves himself out of trouble so much,” Edmund said. “His serve is very difficult to read, so when you get a racket on the ball, it really has to go in the court. I thought I did a pretty good job. I took chances basically, and they paid off. I’d say they were calculated risks.”

Edmund required medical treatment during the first round encounter (Getty)

Temperatures of up to 42C are forecast by the end of this week, but for the opening day of the tournament it felt more like an English summer’s day. It was just 19C when Edmund and Anderson opened proceedings on Court 3 at 11am, with the sun only occasionally breaking through the overcast skies and a hint of rain in the air. There was also a stiff breeze and Anderson in particular had occasional trouble with his ball toss.

Any lack of brightness was made up for by Edmund’s kit, which comprised a pink and black shirt, pink shorts and pink shoes. On Twitter Judy Murray called it a "liquorice all sort outfit", but a smiling Edmund said afterwards: “Obviously it worked. I don't think pink really suits me. If you have a better tan, it would suit you. But it's all right.”

There were only two break points in the opening set, Edmund saving one in the second game and another in the eighth. However, Anderson was holding his serve comfortably, which led to a predictable tie-break. There were no mini-breaks until Edmund served at 4-5, upon which Anderson upped the tempo. Two successive forehand winners, the first of them a rasping cross-court return, gave the South African the opening set after 58 minutes.

Kevin Anderson has no answer for Edmund in the deciding set (Getty)

In the second set, nevertheless, it was Edmund’s turn to raise his game as he started to hit some crunching returns. When Anderson served at 2-3 Edmund forced his first break point of the match with three excellent attacking forehands. Anderson saved it with a big forehand of his own, but Edmund broke two points later with some more bold shot-making and then served out to level the match.

At 3-4 in the third set Edmund saved three set points with unreturned serves, after which play was halted for 18 minutes because of rain. They resumed at deuce, upon which Anderson won the next two points to break serve, after which the South African served out for the third set.

Edmund might have felt that luck had been against him with the timing of the rain break, but his attitude at the start of the fourth set was exemplary. He broke serve at the first attempt, held from 0-40 down in the following game and again went on to level the match.

Edmund had lost on the last three occasions when he had played a match that went to five sets and it was Anderson who made the better start in the decider, breaking serve to lead 2-0.

Edmund battled back from a break down in the final deciding set (Getty)

However, once again Edmund kept his nerve, breaking back immediately with some bold attacking play, and at 3-3 he made his decisive move. Anderson, under pressure from the relentless consistency of Edmund’s returns, missed two forehands in succession to give his opponent the decisive break and at 5-4 the Briton served out for love to complete his victory after nearly four hours.

“Kyle's a great competitor and he's always very dangerous,” Anderson said afterwards. “I felt he hit the ball extremely well today. He made lots of winners and very few errors.”

Having lost a number of close matches last year, Edmund said he had been determined to do better in 2018, especially against the top players, and that beating Anderson in five sets, having lost to him at the French Open – also in five sets - last year, was a good sign. “It’s a good measure, to be beating him in five sets eight or nine months later,” Edmund said.