Kyle Edmund Targets ATP Tour Return Next Month After Injury Nightmare - UBITENNIS

Kyle Edmund Targets ATP Tour Return Next Month After Injury Nightmare

It has been almost 20 months since the injury-hit Brit last played a singles match.

By Adam Addicott
3 Min Read
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Kyle Edmund is set to play his first ATP Tour event since October 2020 after being sidelined by a knee problem which has since been diagnosed as a lifelong condition. 

The former top 20 star made a brief return to competition at Wimbledon when he played in the Mixed doubles event alongside Olivia Nicholls where the duo lost in the first round. That was the first time Edmund has played a professional match of any kind for 18 months. 

During what has been a roller-coaster injury absence, the Brit first underwent knee surgery at the end of 2020 to treat the persistent pain he was experiencing. Since then, he has experienced a series of setbacks which has delayed his return. The most recent occurred earlier this year during the grass-court swing when he had to undergo another minor procedure. In total, he has undergone three surgeries. 

“It’s not an injury that heals by itself, and there is no straightforward procedure to have. It’s just something that’s now part of my life. I have just accepted that,” the 27-year-old told reporters at Wimbledon last month.
“I will constantly be dealing with it. It’s not like now that I’ve had three ops it’s all fixed.
“But I’m happy where I’m at and I can enjoy playing now and just wake up and be a tennis player rather than a professional rehabber, which was what I was feeling for a long time.”

Edmund has entered into the play the Washington Open using his protective ranking. The ATP 500 event will get underway during the first week of August. Before that, he will begin his return to singles competition on the lower-level Challenger Tour by playing in the qualifying draw in Winnipeg this weekend. He hasn’t played a Challenger event since winning the Indian Wells 125 tournament back in 2019. 

“It’s easy to feel sorry for yourself so, when you do have bad days, you nip it in the bud and you address it. It’s not the end of the world. I’m confident that I’ll get back. I still have years ahead of me and time to play.” He said. 

It was four years ago at the Australian Open where Edmund achieved his first major breakthrough by reaching the semi-finals. He has been ranked as high as 14th in the world and won two Tour titles.

Edmund, who is only the sixth Brit in the Open Era to reach the last four of a major event, is currently ranked 497th in the world. 

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