French Open 2018: British number one Kyle Edmund knocked out in third round after losing five set battle with Fabio Fognini
The 23-year-old lost 6-3 4-6 3-6 6-4 6-4 to the Italian to seal Britain's worst Roland Garros in five years
KYLE EDMUND was down and out in Paris to set the seal on British tennis’ worst French Open for five years.
Edmund took a tumble in the second set of his 6-3 4-6 3-6 6-4 6-4 defeat by Fabio Fognini but the more important fall was in his level of performance.
The British No 1 said: “I’m disappointed. Losing in five sets is always tough.
“But I did the best I could today.
“It's unrealistic to think that you're going to play at your best all the time, so you have to deal with what you have.
“Some parts today I was pretty good and some parts today I gave away loose points.
“The margin is always very small. And I have won some tight matches this year for sure and this one is a close one I have lost.”
The last time Britain did not have a player in the second week of the singles at Roland Garros was 2013, when Andy Murray was similarly absent through injury.
DZU YOU MIND Ball boy flattened at the French Open in collision with tennis star Damir Dzumhur
This was Edmund’s chance to reach the last 16 here for the first time. To enhance his credentials as a top-10 player in waiting.
To offer more evidence, after his Australian Open semi-final breakthrough, that life after Murray, when the Grand Slam-winning Scot retires, might not be so bleak after all.
MOST READ IN SPORT
Playing Fognini, the volatile magician, on his favourite surface, was always going to be a test. But you have to say that Edmund didn’t pass it.
Because the Italian, despite his Flash Gordon kit, was far from out-of-this-world.
Because Edmund could have won all five sets – including the dreadful fourth in which Fognini let a lead slip and seemed ready to lose the match.
Because at times it felt like the Brit was beating himself as much as the Italian was beating him. Like Liverpool in the Champions League, as Reds fan Edmund had reflected earlier in the week.
Jurgen Klopp lost Mo Salah to injury in Kiev and Edmund had on-court treatment in the second set, but didn’t use it as an excuse.
He said: “I just wanted just my leg loosened up just in my hip, and it helped a bit. I was okay after that.”
The contest was interrupted early on when an old man was taken ill and had to be helped out of the arena.
Provided it was nothing serious, he had a lucky escape because this was an awful match for the first four sets.
Sometimes statistics are misleading, but the official total of 108 unforced errors between the two players was, if anything, generous to them.
Edmund’s big weapon is his forehand, but on this occasion it was often a liability. His serve was also below par.
Fognini ultimately prevailed because he found more winners – 41 to Edmund’s 27 – and played better in the fifth set when there were finally some outbreaks of tennis.
The Brit had two break points in the fifth game, but could not convert either.
The final game was the match in miniature: two unforced errors from Edmund, either side of a Fognini winner, gave the Italian three match points and a long backhand from the Brit on the second ended the match.
Later, Jamie Murray and Bruno Soares lost their second round men’s doubles match, then Heather Watson and partner Tatjana Maria went out at the same stage of the women’s doubles.
The last Brits standing, in the mixed doubles, are Dom Inglot and Jo Konta, who set the tone for the week by losing her first-round singles match for the fourth year in a row.
Edmund has never been past the second round at Wimbledon. To continue his progress, this would be a good year to break that run.