Vandenburg wrote:

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Stircrazy wrote:

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L56:  Kyle Edmund WR 53 defeated Jiri Vesley (CZE) WR 62 by 3 & 2

*****

L32:  (4) Marin Cilic (CRO) WR 5 (= CH) vs Kyle Edmund WR 53

There is no head-to-head.

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  Sums up Kyle, against weaker opposition, eg ranked 50-60 and lower,  he can really bully them with his forehand,  but against anyone top 20, he really struggles. 

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 Which is what you expect initially in a developing player trying to establish himself in the top 32. Looking forward to the match up against Cilic

L32:  (4) Marin Cilic (CRO) WR 5 defeated Kyle Edmund WR 53 by 6-3 7-6(5)  

Although it was a straight sets win in the end, it wasn't a completely stress-free match for Cilic. Kyle had quite a few break points he couldn't convert. And his first serve wasn't quite firing in the first set. But the main thing seemed to be his shot selection in the key points. He tended to snatch at his shots and try and just bludgeon the point rather than set up the point until he was in a strong position before pulling the trigger. The positive aspect s that it's the kind of thing that improves with experience.

Kyle isn't Andy. We have been so lucky with Andy that he skews things a bit.

Kyle, to me, is a decent player but not a very exciting one. I think he is top 30, maybe top 20 potential.

Oakland2002 wrote:

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indiana wrote:

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All the best to the ever "developing" Kyle. May he push on again and develop fast enough that he is not steadily overtaken by too many younger faster developing players. .

Cilic would certainly be a really good win to claim at just about any time and to finally get a win against a top 10 player and hopefully added confidence from crossing that line.

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 Kyle is still 22 and has yet to see Cilic. Another new experience for a young player. I would argue he learnt a lot in defeat today, getting his eye in in the first set and then taking the second set to a tie break.

I am gob smacked as to some of the negativity around Kyle who at 22 should he quit now would be ranked in the top 5 British male singles players of the modern era? 

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Kyle is of course a very good player, top 50 is indeed extremely good. And I have defended that, in particular lately re some "challenger" comments but that surely doesn't mean that we can't make wider comments in the round as to where he is and what we hope for. I recall soon after you joined some comments re his then schedule ( and not just from me, guv ) and that seemed a big no no rather than just a discussion to be had.

Anyway he is still relatively young but still not to have a single top 10 win, indeed top 14 win, is worthy of comment. I wonder how many top 100 players that applies to let alone top 50. His general top 50 wins record, I think more particularly top 40 record, continues I think to be more negatively skewed than would be hoped for. That so many have gone to 3 sets shows both how good he is and how bad for now he is at seeing out big matches. Who knows what a final set would have brought today. He does seem too often not ultimately to rise to the occasion at the very highest level and that includes some Davis Cup matches.

Kyle is a good top 50 ATP player, though has just slipped out for now, could be at least top 30. I thought he might indeed go top 30 this year, but it has been his first real pause year in rankings progression, which in itself can of course happen. But from the outside there are to me these ongoing match concerns and I don't simply trust that that will come right. I've said before his sheer demeanour doesn't impose himself on an opposition when it matters, but he largely is now how he is. However he must find ways to see through generally well played matches to the end, to win as opposed to log another experience, and not let his level drop when the stakes are at their biggest, if he is say to become top 20 and a major contender. Whatever the stats re general peak years, at 23 in January he is no kid and there certainly seems to be more ultimate talent in these a few years younger than him than in these a few years older.

To me, I'd expect most people hoping for Kyle to make the very best of his abilities, would have some of these concerns, just as supporters in all sports recognise and discuss areas of concern in the players or teams that they support.

Oh

If Jamie/Bruno win this match they will have qualified for O2 according to ATP site.