Home
Ros Satar
Kyle Edmund, Brisbane International 2018
Mandatory Credit: Photo by Mike Frey/BPI/REX/Shutterstock (9304984j) Kyle Edmund of Great Britain in action at the Brisbane International Brisbane International, Queensland Tennis Centre, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia Brisbane International tennis tournament, Australia - 02 Jan 2018

Australian Open 2018 | Edmund faces US Open finalist Anderson in Melbourne opener

Ros Satar
Tennis

By Ros Satar, in Melbourne

  • Kyle Edmund v Kevin Anderson [11]
  • Head to Head: Anderson leads 1-0
  • Edmund declares himself fit after Brisbane ankle turn
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA – Kyle Edmund finds himself as the top Brit in the men’s draw – and has a mighty task to get past US Open finalist Kevin Anderson.

 

[table “ADPDTATP” not found /]

 

Kyle Edmund v Kevin Anderson [11] | H2H: Anderson leads 1-0

It had all looked so promising for Kyle Edmund with a powerful serve/forehand combo at the start of the season with some solid matches under his belt before a nasty looking ankle-turn had him on the ground in agony. As a precaution he withdrew from the other season warm-up in Auckland, but has stated he is fit, over the scare and is raring to go. What little we did see of him was encouraging.

Kyle Edmund falls in his match against Grigor Dimitrov, Brisbane 2018
(Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images) | Kyle Edmund falls in his match against Grigor Dimitrov, Brisbane 2018

He should also take heart that he took Kevin Anderson, who has been a consistent player, and in the Top 10 before injury set him back last year. In fact Edmund might have lost their only outing, but he took the rangy South African to five sets at Roland Garros.

Edmund has looked much improved – his serve, which had always had a good amount of zip to it, has improved, and if the margins were close before, he ought to be able to give account of himself once more.

Both rely on serving power for free points but in terms of general consistency, Anderson is pretty solid off both wings while Edmund could still do with a little polish. Anderson moreover can play a decent net game when he is drawn in, although he prefers to stay back and dictate from the back of the court.

Edmund has conquered the stamina issues that once used to plague him, and his hard-working ethic should continue to identify areas he needs to focus on, and he could always add just a little more variety to his repertoire. That being said, he has displayed some tenacious spirit this season, and prior to that fall he was showing some impressive skills against Grigor Dimitrov.

Photo: AP/REX/Shutterstock | Kevin Anderson US Open 2017, Flushing Meadows, New York

That he got up and finished the match shows that he has the grit required to deliver the shock – and his draw could open up nicely if he could get over the line in the first round.

Anderson is not infallible – he crashed out of the Australian Open his last time out in the opening round, before injury caused him to sit last year out. Despite his run to the US Open final, the end of the season fizzled out fairly alarmingly for him with no back to back wins, and out in the first round in his last two matches of the year.

This year started at least a little more positively at the Mubadala World Tennis Championships, and the final in Pune. It would take Edmund a five setter to do it, you have to think.

Prediction: Anderson in four sets.

Edmund and Anderson are scheduled on Show Court 3 at 11am, on Monday.

 

[table “ADTenTix” not found /]