Will 2020 prove to be the year in which Kyle Edmund makes his tennis revival?
Monday 17 February 2020 16:22, UK
Kyle Edmund's wait for his second career ATP Tour title clocked in at 16 months on Sunday as he brushed aside Andreas Seppi to win the New York Open.
It continued the British No 3's recent revival on the back of a disappointing year since clinching the European Open crown in Antwerp with victory over Frenchman Gael Monfils, who has won three titles in that time including two inside seven days in February.
Four of the five players Edmund faced in New York were ranked outside the world's top 80, but that won't dampen what feels like a timely and much-needed spark for the Yorkshireman. Based on his gruelling year, this was a match he could quite easily have lost as another frustrating hiccup.
Having struggled to build on the momentum of 2018, the task for Edmund is now evolving his transatlantic exploits into some sustained form across the rest of the season.
Edmund's ascent saw him become just the sixth British man to reach the semi-final of a Grand Slam in the Open Era as he earned a place in the last four of the 2018 Australian Open, where he was eventually beaten in straight sets by Marin Cilic.
His route there had included a first-round win over 11th seed Kevin Anderson across five sets, after which he later beat New York Open rival Seppi to book his place in the quarters, where he overcame Grigor Dimitrov.
The reward would be a rise to prominence among fans, a rise to No 26 in the world and, eventually, a rise to British No 1 ahead of Andy Murray.
Edmund warranted even more attention by beating Novak Djokovic on his way to the quarter-finals of the Madrid Open, and was seeded heading into the French Open thanks to his place in the last 16 of the Italian Open.
Those that hadn't already taken note of Edmund certainly did during the grass-court season when he beat Murray at the Eastbourne International. He subsequently headed into Wimbledon as British No 1 and it took Djokovic to derail him amid the Serbian's path to the title.
A mixed US tour preceded success as part of Team Europe in the Laver Cup and victory in Antwerp over Monfils having come from a set down.
His breakout year had seen Edmund reach a career-high No 14 in the world as well as featuring in his first ATP Tour final in Marrakech, losing to Pablo Andujar, and chalking up his maiden title.
Hopes of lighting up the tour with his booming forehand were met by an ominously slow start to the year when Edmund lost to Yasutaka Uchiyama in the round of 16 at the Brisbane International, having had a bye in the round of 32, before suffering a first-round defeat to Tomas Berdych in straight sets at the Australian Open.
It was announced in February 2019 that long-term coach Fredrik Rosengren was retiring in order to spend more time with his family - a move that would seemingly impact Edmund over the year.
Having beaten Andrey Rublen in the final of the Oracle Challenger Series at Indian Wells, Edmund lost to Roger Federer and John Isner in the round of 16 at the Indian Wells Masters and Miami Open, respectively.
A loss to Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in Marrakech then triggered a five-game winless streak until he snapped the run with a win over Jeremy Chardy at the French Open, only to lose to Pablo Cuevas in the next round after retiring due to a knee injury.
Upon his return to British soil he was eliminated by Stefanos Tsitsipas at Queen's Club, before reaching the semi-finals after wins over Dan Evans and Cameron Norrie.
After a second round exit at Wimbledon at the hands of Fernando Verdasco, he later endured an eight-game losing run stretching from August to October and including a first round exit at the US Open. The same period had also seen Edmund part ways with sole coach Mark Hilton.
In November it was confirmed Franco Davin would become Edmund's new coach for the 2020 season, with his latest student, adding to the likes of Dimitrov and Juan Martin Del Potro, sweeping aside Feliciano Lopez in the semi-finals of the Davis Cup just days later.
That proved to be the final outing of 2019 for Edmund, who started the year with a first-round defeat to Filip Krajinovic at the Qatar Open and a quarter-final loss to John Isner at the Auckland Open.
A bid to follow up his 2018 success at the Australian Open didn't go to plan yet again as Edmund was knocked out by Dusan Lajovic in the first round.
Nonetheless, he'll be hoping five straight wins - for the first time since Indian Wells Challenger in 2019 - en route to New York glory can serve as a catalyst for an improved year.
For the likes of Edmund, Evans and Norrie, it isn't a case of holding the fort amid Murray's injury battle, but instead an opportunity to stamp their own mark on British tennis.
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