MELBOURNE—Britain’s Kyle Edmund came through a gruelling physical test to reach the round of 16 for the first time at the Australian Open Friday, admitting the match took a lot out of him.
The 49th-ranked Edmund fought back, taking the last two sets in blistering heat to win 7-6 (7/0), 3-6, 4-6, 6-0, 7-5 in 3hr 34min on Show Court Two against Nikoloz Basilashvili.
“It’s really hard to put if it’s the best win or not. For sure, the physical test was a great win for me,” Edmund said.
“Best-of-five sets in that kind of heat, really good for my career and my confidence going forward, for sure.
“Physically and mentally that type of match takes a lot out of you. Just to keep fighting and chipping away. The heat zaps the energy out of you.”
Edmund turned the match by coming out on top in a marathon 20-minute second game in the fourth set, which ebbed and flowed for 15 deuces with the British player taking it on his eighth break point.
From there he powered on and edged out the Georgian in a tight fifth set.
“Yeah, probably the longest game in my career,” Edmund said.
“I mean, sets get played as quick as that. That game actually worked out to be a very key game, because that game was a set from him.”
Edmund, who upset 11th seed Kevin Anderson in the opening round and followed it up with a win over Denis Istomin, will now face Italian Andreas Seppi in Sunday’s fourth round.
“It’s a fresh match. Doesn’t really matter about head-to-heads or what their number is in the bracket next to their name,” Edmund said of his next challenge.
“There are a lot of seeds that have gone out. I have to be ready for battle. That’s the way I look at it.”
Edmund, the only British man in the main draw after Andy Murray’s injury withdrawal, reached the round of 16 at the 2016 US Open where he fell to Novak Djokovic.
The British player hit 20 aces among his 70 winners and broke Basilashvili’s serve seven times from 27 opportunities for his second career win over the Georgian.
