FILE PHOTO: Tennis – Australian Open – Hisense Arena, Melbourne, Australia, January 21, 2018. Kyle Edmund of Britain celebrates winning his match against Andreas Seppi of Italy. REUTERS/Issei Kato
January 21, 2018
MELBOURNE (Reuters) – Britain’s Kyle Edmund reached the quarter-finals of a grand slam for the first time after coming from a set down to oust Italian Andreas Seppi 6-7(4) 7-5 6-2 6-3 in the fourth round of the Australian Open on Sunday.
The 23-year-old, the only Briton in the men’s draw in the absence of the injured Andy Murray, smashed 63 winners to progress to a last eight meeting with Grigor Dimitrov or Nick Kyrgios when Seppi netted after just under three hours on court.
Edmund also fired down 25 aces to tame the neat Italian but it was the thumping winners, particularly off his forehand, that proved decisive after he had reduced the error count that marred his first-set performance.
The world number 49, who went five sets with 11th seed Kevin Anderson in round one and again in brutal heat in round three, required medical treatment on his shoulder in the first set but looked untroubled by it for the rest of the match.
(Reporting by Nick Mulvenney in Sydney; Editing by John O’Brien)
