At 23-years-old, Kyle Edmund is leading the next generation of British tennis. With Andy Murray's career in a state of flux following a spate of injuries, Johannesburg-born Edmund has continued his steady ascent and became the new British number one earlier this year.
After bursting onto the scene as a wildcard at Wimbledon in 2013, Edmund has racked up a series of high-profile victories, reached grand slam semi-finals, and broken into the world's top 20 for the first time.
With his quest to enter the pantheon of British sporting legends by winning Wimbledon already underway, we caught up with Kyle Edmund to talk about his rise to the top, relationship with Andy Murray and love of Liverpool FC.
COMPLEX: You were just 18 when you first competed at Wimbledon as a wildcard. Now, five years on, you’re going in to the tournament as the 21st seed. Tell us about that journey to this point and how it feels to be in this position heading in to the iconic competition.
Kyle Edmund: You never forget playing in your first senior major event, it was a huge honour for me to get a Wild Card for Wimbledon at just 18, and to compete in one of the most iconic competitions in all of sport, and with it on British soil, it was a truly a great honour. I feel extremely happy with where my game is and where it’s going, I think my team and I have been working really well together and now the results are speaking for themselves.
In terms of my journey to this point, I believe there’s is no substitute for hard work, and I believe that is where I am now because of it. Being seeded 18 coming into Wimbledon is something that I’m very proud of, hopefully next year I can come into the tournament even higher!
Wimbledon is the pinnacle for most players, but especially must be for you being on home soil, what makes it so special?
It is true; Wimbledon is the pinnacle for most players, it's an iconic tournament and I think that’s why its one of the highlights on the tennis calendar. The fans for me are what makes it so special, it’s hard to explain but the confidence and energy the crowd gives you is incredible, the crowd always give the Brits such great support and I think that’s the main reason why it means so much to us playing here.
The home crowd at Wimbledon is legendary, how does it feel to be out there and what impact does that terrific support have on your game?
It's the best feeling playing in front of the best support in the world. The crowd give me that extra energy and motivation to play my best tennis. Playing at this iconic venue in front of the British crowd doesn’t get much better and makes me push that little bit harder. That's the Wimbledon effect I guess!
You became the British no.1. this year which is a brilliant achievement. Does that create any extra pressure, especially going into Wimbledon?
Of course, by becoming British no.1 comes with extra attention and perhaps a little extra pressure, but that’s completely normal and I have to deal with it. It was a huge honour to become Britain's number 1, and by doing so comes with extra media attention and so on. I’m embracing it and I just have to stick to what I've been doing throughout the year and not let the extra attention effect my preparation.
Do you think your performance at the Australian Open, reaching the semis, will help with the pressure and give you some extra confidence ahead of the big tournament?
Yes, of course. Reaching the semis at the Australian Open proved to me that I belong with the elite players, it gives me extra confidence because I’ve been there. Playing in the semis of a Grand Slam was an amazing experience and of course I would love to do even better here on British soil.
You’ve really progressed in the last year since linking up with Fredrik Rosengren. What influence has he had on your game not just on the court, but off as well?
Fredrik and I understand each other, we just clicked. He worked with very good players, Robin Soderling and Magnus Norman to name a few, and helped them achieve some already great things. He has a lot of experience as a coach and his guidance makes me confident and I know we are on a good path. We spend lot of time talking; he makes me believe in myself. He helps me to choose the right shot at the right time, to find a balance when the score is not going my way and to believe that I can win.
You also recorded an amazing career-highlight victory over Novak Djokovic in Madrid this year. What did that mean to you personally, defeating one of the game’s all-time greats?
It meant a lot because Novak is one of the best players in the history of tennis. I used to watch his matches and dreamed of lifting the trophies he lifted. Beating him gave me confidence that I can achieve what he as and that I belong in this elite group of players.
You have a close relationship with fellow Brit Andy Murray. When you look back on going to Miami with him as an 18-year-old, how influential do you think that was on the way you’ve developed as a player?
Extremely influential, being around such a great player and having the experience to train with Andy was fantastic. Seeing how hard he practiced and how professional he was helped me a lot to see how the top guys in the world train and approach their tennis.
There seems to be a genuine, strong commaderie, support and respect amongst the British players. Is this especially important at such high-pressure home tournament?
It is important to stick together. Playing on home soil is the best but also can be a little tough sometimes. It is helpful to be surrounded by British players who can understand the pressure.
How important is hydration not just when you’re competing, but when you’re also training daily in that type of heat too?
It’s so important to be hydrated at all times. To compete at the highest level. I have to be hydrated, it is one the key components for enabling one to compete at their peak. When training in the heat you have to keep hydrated, I wouldn’t be able to train throughout the day if I wasn’t – I drink around 10 bottles of evian a day! The human body is made up of 60% of water, that says everything!
When you look at the longevity of some of the top players, is there anything particular you try to do so you can emulate that, whether it’s resting your body effectively or eating or drinking certain foods?
It is important to give your body good, healthy and necessary fuel to give you the best chance of winning. I take care of what I eat and drink. Taking care of what I eat gives me the best possible chance to compete at the highest level, have the right fuel is extremely important.
You’re a keen Liverpool fan and you watched the Champion League final in a bar in Paris. What other activities and hobbies do you like off the court?
I enjoy playing golf, when I have some spare time its good fun to get out on the course. I love cars and love to drive them; I also follow Formula 1 and cricket is a big passion of mine.
Is there anything in particular you like to do when you are in town for Wimbledon? Any favourite restaurants in Wimbledon village?
Honestly, some of my favourite food is home cooked by my mum. It’s not often that we get to spend time at home so when I do, some home cooked food always goes down well. We do go out to eat sometimes, but during the tournament I tend to go to the local restaurants just because it can be a little crazy.
Tell us about being an ambassador for evian who are the official water supplier of Wimbledon. What is it about the brand you like?
It's an honour for me to be an ambassador for such an exceptional brand as evian. The story of evian is incredible. Water and hydration is such a big part of what I do and I couldn’t be happier by becoming an ambassador for such a fantastic company. I also love the taste of the evian water!
Kyle Edmund has partnered with evian, official water of The Championships, Wimbledon.
