How Kyle Edmund went from choker to Australian Open contender

As a haunted looking Kyle Edmund walked off the court in Paris last November, it was hard to shake off the feeling that for a while at least, this was a player would be defined by his close defeats. A devastated Edmund had just been beaten in a third set-tie break against Jack Sock having led 5-1 in the second set and twice failed to serve out the match. 

It was a fitting end to a year that had promised much but ultimately felt like a bit of a disappointment. On numerous occasions, Edmund had got himself into promising positions only to lose narrowly in the final set.

Shortly before that Sock defeat, Edmund realised that something had to change, and like a football team rebuilding at the end of a disappointing season, he made wholesale changes.

From a commercial point of view, Edmund joined Stan Wawrinka and Gael Monfils, among others, at the StarWing sports management group - presumably to cash in on the marketability of an established British tennis player other than Andy Murray. He also moved his residency from Beverly to the Bahamas, and most crucially of all made a key signing - the Swedish coach Fredrik Rosengren, who has worked previously with grand slam finalists Magnus Norman and Robin Soderling. 

Fast forward a few months, and Edmund stands on the brink of a grand slam final. 

Back in September when Rosengren was settling into his new coaching position, it was plain for him to see that Edmund's booming serve and monster forehand meant he had a potential top-20 player on his hands. The issues with Edmund, who turned 23 in January, were more mental.    

There were two elements of Edmund's psyche in particular that Rosengren identified as areas where he could improve. The first was the Brit's habit of tightening up on big points and losing close matches, such as that agonising Sock defeat. The second was making Edmund, a naturally shy and reserved character away from tennis, more imposing on the court. 

Rosengren explains that: "For me, tennis is a mental game. So it’s all about belief at this level. You have to manage the pressure and on certain points you have to step up and play well.

"I heard this was not his strength in the past, so we are talking a lot about this. To play to win, not to play to avoid losing, to have the heart. It's good to see that Kyle can grow as a person, and also be out there to enjoy it. This is his profession, he makes his money from tennis, but you have to also enjoy the ride."

The results have been striking. Edmund has come from behind in three of his four Australian Open matches, and on two of them has held his nerve in a fifth set played in furnace-like conditions. Now the man who was once too shy to order his dinner when out with the British Davis Cup team has been talking up his grand slam chances. “You have to believe it,” Edmund said when asked if he could win the Australian Open. “That’s why I'm in the quarter-finals. Because every time I step on the court, I believe I'm going to win.”

Edmund also been visibly more animated in his matches over the last few weeks, regularly fist pumping and puffing out his chest to remind opponents of his alpha-male status. Almost overnight, the wallflower has become a warrior. 

The 2002 Australian Open champion Thomas Johansson said of Edmund's transformation: "He’s taken a big step in the last couple of months. What I like about Kyle now is that he shows a lot more emotions on the court. He’s much more positive and I think that has made a big difference.”

Edmund's greater mental strength has also been augmented by his improved fitness, with physical trainer Ian Prangley helping to ensure the Brit began the 2018 season in peak physical condition. Edmund has been fascinated by the potential for physical gains ever since he spent his off-season two years ago with the master of masochism Andy Murray.

Like a member of a secret society being given their initiation, Edmund was introduced to the world of versaclimbers and self-punishment by Murray in December 2015. Edmund was awestruck, and said shortly after: "The training camp with Andy in Dubai was the most intense pre-season block I've ever done. The main thing I've picked up from spending time with him is the work ethic and the intensity. I was mostly hitting with Andy and he's not the world No.2 for no reason - he works so hard and he deserves to be there.

Former Australian Open champion Thomas Johansson

"He's there because of the hours he puts in and because of the intensity he trains at. Watching him practice at such a high intensity, you can see why he can compete at the highest level for four or five hours, and why he is going so deep into grand slams."

Until this year though, Edmund often struggled with his fitness, and was known to regularly fade in grand slam matches. The most dispiriting setback came at last year's US Open when Edmund had to withdraw from his third-round match against the teenager Denis Shapovalov because of a back spasm. 

At the Australian Open by contrast, Edmund has played with the endurance of a seasoned marathon runner. His matches have lasted an average of almost three hours, with his third-round win against Nikoloz Basilashvili in 40-degree heat the acid test of his physical improvement. 

With his mental and physical frailties seemingly a thing of the past, Edmund has set about making the most of his considerable weapons. The tennis world has long known about Edmund's phenomenally powerful serve and forehands, so the challenge for Rosengren has been to refine them and make them even more potent.

On a technical level, Rosengren has urged Edmund to use his legs more when serving, and in the main he has been delighted with the results. After his fourth-round win against Andreas Seppi, Edmund took himself to fifth place on the Australian Open aces leaderboard with 65, and he has held serve 90 per cent of the time in Melbourne.

On the rare occasions this tournament when the serve hasn't been quite on point - such as in the early stages of his win against Kevin Anderson - Edmund has been able to rely on his flamethrower of a forehand that is regularly the most powerful on the ATP Tour.

The speed Edmund generates on his forehand largely comes from the wrist, and his quick feet mean he is able to run around backhands and hit bone-crunching "off-forehands" either inside-in (down the line) or inside-out (crosscourt).   

Seeing Edmund's forehand up close is terrifying, as I was fortunate enough to do earlier this year when he was limbering up for the Davis Cup tie against France. Even former Australian Open champions find themselves puffing out their cheeks when witnessing a shot that has helped Edmund hit more winners than any other player at the Australian Open so far. After practicing with him today Johansson said: "His forehand is huge, it’s massive."

World No 1 Rafael Nadal meanwhile said on Sunday. "He has a huge serve, huge forehand, and he hit very strong the ball, no? So I really think he gonna have a great year."

Rosengren added: "I have been in this business for 30 years, and you always have big players out there. But he has a damn good forehand, damn good."

Satisfyingly for player and coach, all of the component parts have come together for Edmund in the last week at Melbourne Park. Up next is a semi-final on Thursday against former US Open champion Marin Cilic. 

A win for Edmund later this week would well and truly lay the nearly man tag to rest.