Three-time grand slam champion Andy Murray has lost his position as British No.1 to rising star Kyle Edmund after his points from last year’s Dubai Tennis Championships dropped off.
Murray hasn’t played on the tour since Wimbledon due to a hip problem. Twice he tried to stage a comeback to the tour, but has failed to succeed both times. His latest attempt occurred at the start of this year. After withdrawing from the Australian Open, Murray underwent a hip operation after spending months trying to avoid it. He is aiming to return to action during the grass season, but it depends on his recovery.
“As proud as I am, I would have been much happier had Andy stayed healthy and occupied his place at the very top where he belongs,” Edmund told BBC Sport.
23-year-old Edmund’s rise to the best in his country comes after what has been a successful start to the year. At the Australian Open he became the sixth British man in the Open Era to reach a major semi-final after defeating Grigor Dimitrov. His run was ended by Marin Cilic. Edmund hasn’t played since Melbourne after withdrawing from the Argentina Open due to illness.
“It is humbling to become the British number one and perhaps unwittingly, as Andy has dropped down in rankings due to his injury,” he explained.
“I’m wishing Andy a speedy recovery and I hope to battle it out with him in a more legitimate fashion in years to come.”
The next task for the Yorkshire-based player will be at this week’s BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, where he lost in the first round to Guido Pella last year. He is yet to win back-to-back matches in the main draw of a Masters 1000 event.
BA Boost
British Airways has announced a new partnership with Kyle Edmund. He will take his first flight as a new “BA Ambassador” to Miami for @MiamiOpen @British_Airways pic. D.Dyson pic.twitter.com/wUrf3Tf0Hr
— Michal Samulski (@MichalSamulski) 4 March 2018
On the same day as dethroning Murray, British Airways (BA) have formally announced a new partnership with Edmund. Under the deal, he will fly to tournaments around the world with the airline. BA is one of the biggest airlines in the UK with a 2016 revenue of £11,443 million. Speaking about the new deal, the Brit said it will inspire him to work even harder on the court.
“There’s no better feeling than being able to represent your country. Being able to fly around the world to competitions with British Airways will make me feel as though I have the support of the nation behind me on every journey.” He said in a statement.
“It is a special moment for me to become the British number one. Combining the two, this extraordinary partnership and reaching the number one spot in the country, will make me work even harder.”
No details have been released concerning the financial side of the deal and how much it is worth.
In this week’s ATP Emirates rankings, Edmund is ranked 24th in the world. Five places higher than Murray.
