Kyle Edmund beats fellow Briton Alex Ward to reach Wimbledon second round for first time

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British No.2 Kyle Edmund overcame a first-set scare to beat fellow Brit Alex Ward in four sets and progress to the second round of Wimbledon for the first time.

Edmund won 4-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-1, triumphing at Wimbledon at the fifth time of asking to join Andy Murray and Aljaz Bedene in the second round.

“It was good, nice just to get the win at Wimbledon. It’s the home Grand Slam,” Edmund told the BBC afterwards.

“It’s one your dreams as a kid but it hasn’t been a good tournament for me in recent years. I just live up the road, so it’s really local for me. It’s nice to get the win.”

Edmund reached the second round of the Australian Open and lost an epic five-setter to Kevin Anderson in the third round of Roland Garros last month but his grass-court preparations for Wimbledon have been wretched, losing at the first stage of both Queen's and Eastbourne.

Qualifier Ward, meanwhile, was aiming for his first Tour-level win against an opponent ranked 816 places higher in the world. In true Wimbledon tradition, Court No.3 got behind the underdog and murmurs of surprise at Ward's ferocious forehand quickly turned to cheers as the 27-year-old took the game to Edmund in the opening set.

Ward attacked from the off, converting his first break point in the opening game following a series of powerful groundstrokes. The strong start settled his nerves and it was Edmund who looked overawed.

The set continued with serve and, at 30-30 and serving for a surprise lead, a nervous second serve by Ward was punished by an easy forehand winner on the return. Edmund could not convert the break point and Ward wrapped up the set, winning the next two points.

The question for Ward, who missed six months of the season through injury until January, was how long he could keep his forehand firing but the first-set win was to prove his high point. Edmund finally broke for 4-2 in the second set, sealing the game with a stunning cross-court backhand that left his compatriot applauding. A huge roar from Edmund showed how important it was, and from there it was a procession.

Edmund's serve was proving particularly tricky for Ward and he held the next game courtesy of a thumping ace before wrapping up the second set 6-3. Edmund won the next five games in the trot, twice breaking Ward at the start of the third set, to take complete control of the match. While the underdog’s aggression from the opening set had been replaced by uncertainty and mistakes, Edmund was suddenly full of controlled power.

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A strong hold from Ward to make it 4-1 sparked the crowd back into life and he responded by saving two breaks at 5-2. An Edmund ace, clocked at 128mph, took him to set point and he clinched it after Ward found the net from a second serve.

Edmund, who is currently without a coach, walked through the final set with an impressive array of shots but at half-pace, and the only sign of resistance from an exhausted Ward came with a surprise hold for 4-1, despite trailing 0-40. At 5-1 down, Ward was serving to stay in the match but fittingly Edmund sealed it with an easy smash, winning the match in a little over two hours.

For Ward, it was the end of a day to remember, while for Edmund – who could face Gael Monfils in the next round – this could be just the start.

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