Australian Open: Remarkable triumph as Kyle Edmund reaches last four

With Andy Murray sidelined, it was beyond all wild hopes at the start of the tournament that Britain would have a man through to the last four but Edmund has come of age at Melbourne Park and this was his finest moment yet.

Making his debut on Rod Laver Arena, the 23-year-old Beverley-raised Edmund did not allow the occasion to get to him and took advantage of an opponent not at the top of his game to win 6-4 3-6 6-3 6-4.

Edmund said it was an “amazing feeling” to reach his first grand slam semi-final.

Speaking courtside, he said: It’s an amazing feeling, very happy.

“With these things you are so emotionally engaged you don’t really enjoy yourself. It was a hard match and I just tried to enjoy the moment.

“It was my first match on this court and it was very special.”

Edmund added: “I knew it was going to be tough. I had a bit of a dip in that second set, it was quite poor tennis at some point, but in the third set I managed to break him right at the end.

“(I) had a little blip in the fourth set but I really just held my nerve in that last set and just prayed that last ball was out.”

On joining an elite list of British players to reach the last four of a grand slam, the 23-year-old said: “It’s obviously great. But of course I want to keep going.”

With former world No 1 Andy Murray absent through injury, the British media spotlight has been firmly focused on Edmund in recent days.

He said of the increased attention: “I now know what it feels like to be Andy Murray for the last eight years!

“It comes with the territory. The better you do, the more attention you get.

“It’s probably the first time I’ve done well on my own, so there’s more attention, but you try to take it in your stride and try to embrace it as much as possible. It’s a good problem to have. The more I keep winning, the better.”