Tennis news - Sluggish Kyle Edmund succumbs to Tomas Berdych, Cameron Norrie ousted by Taylor Fritz

ByKevin Coulson

Updated 14/01/2019 at 10:51 GMT

Kyle Edmund lost in straight sets to Tomas Berdych after a sluggish display in the first round of the Australian Open.

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The British No 1 - who reached the semi-finals last year but has been out with a knee problem which saw him pull out of the Sydney International - could not match the Czech in any area of the game.

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Berdych, who is unseeded after returning from a six-month layoff with a back injury at the end of last year, looked in fine form and set up a clash with Robin Haase in the second round.

Although Edmund had set point in the third set, he squandered the chance before being immediately broken to seal a disappointing defeat that will see him drop outside the world's top 20.

Edmund called the result a “reality check” and admitted: “It just shows where I am at the moment, my level and stuff, and how much and where I have to improve.

I’ve still got lots of years to play so obviously I’m confident I’ll be playing at a good standard again, but you’re always itching and competitive to get things done immediately.

“You just have to have patience and give stuff time to get better, including my game. I’ve lost matches when I’m fully fit, so I have to work on lots of things to get back up there.”

Highlights: Edmund bows out to Berdych

In another blow to British tennis, World number 50 Taylor Fritz beat Cameron Norrie 6-3 7-6 (6) 6-2 to progress to round two.

Fritz, who made round three at Wimbledon and the US Open in 2018, broke the serve of the Brit on four occasions to make the second round in Melbourne for the first time.

The 21-year-old American hit 42 winners on his way to a showdown with Gale Monfils.

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