Edmund Rallies Past Shapovalov Down Under
Brit Kyle Edmund started his 2018 season with a come-from-behind victory at the Brisbane International presented by Suncorp on Tuesday. The 22-year-old Edmund came from a set down against #NextGenATP Canadian Denis Shapovalov to advance 6-7(5), 7-6(4), 6-4.
Edmund had trailed Shapovalov in their FedEx ATP Head2Head series 1-2 but the Brit saved five of six break points to prevail in two hours and 30 minutes. Edmund struggled serving in the opener, landing fewer than 50 per cent of his first serves. But he upped his level in the second and third sets, and served out the first-round match with his fifth ace.
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He will next meet reigning Next Gen ATP Finals champion Hyeon Chung, who upset fifth seed Gilles Muller 6-3, 7-6(1). Muller blasted 19 aces but Chung took his chances on Muller's second serve, winning 64 per cent of those points (18/28).
Muller was playing in his first match since the Moselle Open in Metz in mid-September. The 34-year-old ended his 2017 season early because of tendonitis in his serving elbow (left).
In other action, #NextGenATP American Michael Mmoh celebrated his first ATP World Tour victory, beating Argentina's Federico Delbonis 6-3, 6-4. The 19-year-old Mmoh had been 0-7 in tour-level matches, but he showed no signs of nerve as he served for the match.
Mmoh held to love for the milestone victory. He will next face eighth seed Mischa Zverev of Germany in the second round.