Pressure on Novak Djokovic, says Kyle Edmund ahead of US Open second round
Entering the US Open on Monday night, British No3 Kyle Edmund had every reason to feel anxious. He was about to take on the whimsical and often self-destructive talent that is Kazakhstan's Alexander Bublik
True to form, Bublik mixed underarm serves, double-faults and 130mph aces with no apparent logic. At the other end, Edmund did well to regroup after a slow start. Cranking up his blunderbuss of a forehand, he sealed victory in four sets.
What a contrast, then, to Wednesday's second-round match. Everyone knows exactly what Edmund will face from world No1 Novak Djokovic. Ice-cold brilliance.
Djokovic is now on a 24-match winning streak in 2020, and the way he is playing, he has a real chance of going unbeaten until the end of the season. You could see the standards he expects from himself in his own opening-round match against Damir Dzumhur. Having sauntered through the first set, Djokovic allowed Dzumhur to pick up four games in the second. He then turned around and screamed so loudly at his backroom staff that you could have heard him 15 miles away in Manhattan.
Edmund will hope to witness more such eruptions. At least he is blessed with the sort of all-action game which can worry the very best with its destructive potential.
“He does have a really good serve and forehand, two really big weapons,” said Djokovic of Edmund, whom he leads 5-1 in their head-to-head meetings. “He doesn't feel so much pressure I think playing on the big court. He actually likes the challenge. I have a lot of respect for him. He's a really hard worker, puts a lot of hours on and off the court into perfecting his game.
“His results were kind of up and down a little bit,” added Djokovic, “but I think he does have the game and the potential to be in the top 20 without a doubt, where I expect him to be soon.”
Edmund is now ranked at No44, after suffering from persistent knee soreness that held him back last season. He has used lockdown well, packing four more kilos of muscle onto his already athletic frame. But for this unfavourable draw, he could have targeted the second week of this tournament. Instead, like the Man of La Mancha, he must fight the unbeatable foe.
“It's the hardest match on tour right now,” said Edmund after his win on Monday night. “He's just such a tough player to break down. I have an aggressive game, I have success breaking people down but there is a reason he is world No 1. It takes a lot of resilience to play against him.
“All the pressure is on him in terms of him being expected to win. That phrase 'Go and have a free hit' is OK. But you can't just go and swing against Djokovic, you have to be very disciplined. My game is about me expressing myself and certainly when I play the better guys that is my strength. My strength isn't trying to play them at their game. I've got to play my game.”
