Edmund: 'It's like facing Roger Federer on grass or Rafael Nadal on clay'

Thanks also to the absence of Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic is the big favorite to win the US Open 2020. The world number 1, winner of the Masters 1000 in Cincinnati last week and still undefeated this season, offered a good performance at the debut bent the Bosnian Dzumhur in three sets at Arthur Ashe Stadium. The Serbian phenomenon is perfectly aware that a possible triumph in New York would allow him to reach 18 Slams, ever closer to Nadal and Federer. Waiting for him in the second round is British Kyle Edmund, who got rid of Kazakh Alexander Bublik on Monday. The 17-time Grand Slam champion is 5-1 ahead in the head-to-head balance sheet against the 25-year-old of South African origin, whose only success dates back to the 2018 edition of the Masters 1000 in Madrid. Despite the decidedly unfavorable forecast, Edmund will not take the field already beaten.

Edmund on facing the Big 3

“It’s the hardest match on tour right now on rankings, form – everything, really. It's like facing Roger Federer on grass or Rafael Nadal on clay. Novak Djokovic is the guy to beat. It’s also a great test for me, to see where I’m at with my game. I’ve had one positive experience playing against him [winning on clay in Madrid two years ago]. You always try to use those experiences when you have played someone in the past to see how you felt, what tactics to use, etc. These are very different circumstances now. I’ve got to focus on myself, really, before worrying about him. 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" - Kyle Edmund said. Djokovic is not exactly worried about playing someone 44 places adrift of him in the rankings but he is wary of Edmund. “I have a lot of respect for him,” he said after returning to his imperious best when beating Damir Dzumhur in three sets on Monday. “He’s a hard worker, puts in a lot of hours on and off the court into perfecting his game. His results were kind of up and down but he does have the game and the potential to be in the top 20 without a doubt. [That is] where I expect him to be soon. So it’s going to be a tough one.”

from Tennis World USA https://ift.tt/31O35KF