It was never going to be possible for all eight Britons in the US Open draw to reach Round 2. Qualifier Laura Robson played against compatriot Naomi Broady, and one of them had to lose: It was Robson.
But on a Briton-packed second day at Flushing Meadows, two more also lost.
Heather Watson, battling pain and illness as well as her Dutch opponent, and went straight from her loss to see the medics: Blood tests will show whether the glandular fever from three years ago has raised its ugly head again.
Aljaz Bedene was always going to find his first match a tough one, drawn as he was against No14 seed Nick Kyrgios, and he lost in straight sets.
But five Britons did make it through. Andy Murray, No2 seed and many pundits’ favourite for the title this year, made short work of the dangerous Lukas Rosol, serving up a storm in the late-night match on Arthur Ashe, while Dan Evans bounced back from a lost second set to win convincingly in four against one of the home contingent, Rajeev Ram.
And the first day had already delivered two impressive wins from GB’s top woman, the No13 seed Johanna Konta and #NextGen player, Kyle Edmund. And these two would be the first to try and reach the third round.
Edmund was up first—on the court apparently allocated to the British players, the baking No13—and already with his first US win on the board, he was now after his first Round 3 in a Major.
And while his first victory was over a very well-known quantity, the No13 seed Richard Gasquet, his second was barely known at all.
Ernesto Escobedo, age just 20, picked up his wild card via the USTA’s Pro Circuit Challenge, and scored his first ever Major match win when his first-round opponent retired at two sets apiece.
But he had some Challenger form, and it became clear that he would be no walkover, a talent to watch. With a game not unlike Edmund’s—big serve, powerful forehand, a kicker of a second serve, and a willingness to chase to the net—they went toe-to-toe from the start, pounding hard, flat balls to the corners from the baseline, and the American cranked up his serve to well over 135mph.
Edmund broke quickly for 2-1, only to double fault, and offer up two break back points. He saved them with two net charges, but a wayward forehand gave Escobedo the break.
It became high-octane stuff, with both attacking at every opportunity, but Edmund remained focused and solid. He fought off two break points in the eighth game with a drive volley and two big forehands, and threw in a Murray-esque lob to set break point in the next game. Escobedo, though, was up to the challenge, as was Edmund under pressure in 10th game.
Then that Edmund lob came into play again, set up break point, and he took it, serving out the set to love, 7-5.
The Briton had made 23 winners, and would go on to make 54 in the match, as two more tough sets unfolded. Edmund had the chance to break in the seventh game of the second set, but then did so in the ninth and served out the second set with his 18th forehand winner. He had made just four unforced errors in the set and dropped only one point on his first serve.
The young American did not back off, and worked two break points at the start of the third set. But Edmund’s confidence and his ever-improving physical fitness and movement, were able to respond. They headed to 4-4, with Escobedo holding in some style with a great serve-and-volley play. But Edmund now looked the more assured, broke his man, and sealed the win to love with, naturally, a forehand winner.
The young Briton even begins to sound the part, more articulate, more assured and more confident in all he has to do.
“I’m very pleased. I did a lot of good things today. A lot of things went better for me against Gasquet and I had to tough out a lot of longer rallies today but you can’t be too hard on yourself.
“He’s a good player but sometimes he gives you errors. I got the breaks at the end [of each set] and I’m very pleased I showed toughness in the key points.”
Talking about the punishing heat, he went on: “You don’t see many top players who are not physically strong. You have to be in this game, especially if you want to get to the top. I’m investing a lot of time in that… I had to push a bit a more, but that’s why you put in the hours on the court, to play in these tough matches and it is nice when it pays off.”
So more new ground for Edmund, but the challenge now gets much bigger—literally. Next in line is No20 seed John Isner, who survived a tough five-setter in his first match, and then took four sets to beat Steve Darcis.
Next onto Court 13 was Konta against Tsvetana Pironkova, but that would be another story.