Edmund says he can be proud of his efforts at the US Open and hopes his run to the last-16 will provide him with a platform to build upon.
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Novak Djokovic cruised through to the quarter-finals of the US Open but Rafael Nadal suffered a shock defeat to Lucas Pouille on Sunday.
But world number 84 Edmund can certainly look back on his time in NY with fond memories, following wins over 13th seed Richard Gasquet and 20th seed John Isner. “But considering the stage of the season, you know, the amount of matches I’ve played, what I’ve been through with my body, I think it’s actually good to have some days off and then shorter matches – from one side”, Djokovic said. “A lot of pressure, a lot of expectation, but I can always continue to learn”, she said after.
“I thought I came out, really, from the blocks very good, playing with a high intensity”.
“To play the world No. 1 on the biggest tennis court in the world, doesn’t get much better than that”.
The No. 4-seeded Nadal, a two-time champion at Flushing Meadows, breezed through his opening three matches in Week 1 at the hard-court tournament, dropping only 20 games combined.
In match pitting two players with fearsome forehands, Tsonga boasted the deadlier precision, although Sock didn’t go quietly, saving a match point in the third-set tiebreaker to force the deciding fourth set.
“I made Kyle work for each point and kept him moving around the court”, said Djokovic, who had a bye through his second round and only played one set of his third round before his opponent retired.
Edmund said he was leaving the tournament with more belief in his game.
The defending champion cruised through the first two sets and had a slight hiccup in the third following his treatment, but still came through in comfortable fashion. “I’m glad that I’m experiencing that so hopefully, as the tournament progresses, I’ll reach my peak”. “When it happens it will be an unbelievable feeling because that was also one of my dreams when I was a kid”.
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga beat American Jack Sock in four sets to reach the U.S. Open quarterfinals for the second straight year.
But the 29-year-old Serb, a 12-time Grand Slam victor, argued the extra recovery could be beneficial.
It is the first time since 1947 that three French men have reached the quarterfinals of one Grand Slam.
Starting at the ridiculous hour of 10.28pm due to the day session overspill, the Arthur Ashe Stadium was packed to the gunwales at the start, the vast 23,700 capacity arena unlike anything Edmund has walked out onto before.
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Djokovic continued to struggle in the next game, when Edmund earned another break to go ahead 3-2. Djokovic had played just six games since he won his first round match in four sets last Monday so was feeling very fresh, but potentially undercooked in terms of match play.
