Australian Open 2018: Kyle Edmund produces stunning fightback against Nikoloz Basilashvili
KYLE EDMUND defied the heatwave and overcame an injury scare to progress to the fourth round of the Australian Open.
Kyle Edmund is through to the fourth round of the Australian Open
The Brit, who overcame Kevin Anderson in an epic five-setter in the first round, went the full distance once again, and this time saw off Nikoloz Basilashvili.
Edmund needed over three hours to see off his brave opponent - 7-6 (7-0) 3-6 4-6 6-0 7-5
He had a scare in the opening set when he took a medical timeout for a troublesome shoulder.
Basilashvili was rather erratic on serve, double faulting at one point THREE times in his second service game.
Edmund powered through the tie-break and didn’t concede a point.
The conditions didn’t help as on court temperatures rose above 40C.
Basilashvili looked comfortable and took the second and third sets.
Edmund wasn’t able to strike the ball as cleanly as he hoped, and at times, framed some of his shots.
After Basilashvili double-faulted again, Edmund grabbed a match point and completed a fine turnaround.
Kyle Edmund had to keep cool in the blistering temperatures
The win equalled his best Grand Slam performance and he will now faces Andreas Seppi or Ivo Karlovic in the last 16.
Speaking after his win, Edmund said: “Normally in matches you can work things out but the whole of the fifth set the finish line seemed so far away.
“I just thought one game at a time and thought hold my serve.
"At the end it was physically very demanding and when he hit the ball in the net I was very relieved.
“He kept slugging it and finally missed it.”