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THE CHAMPIONSHIPS

July 7, 2018

Kyle Edmund

Wimbledon, London, England

N. DJOKOVIC/K. Edmund

4-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Did you think after the first set that the match was there for you to put your stamp on, even though your serve wasn't cranked up at that stage?
KYLE EDMUND: I mean, regardless of the first set, you always have the belief you can win. But saying just because you win the first set you're going to win two more, it's like a third of the way there. Regardless of winning that set, you still have a long way to go. You always have that in your head. You still have so much, like, you still have to earn so much more to win the match.

Regardless of the first set or not, you always have that belief that you want to try and win. Obviously it didn't work out like that today.

Q. What was the atmosphere like out there? It seemed kind of quite intense and febrile.
KYLE EDMUND: It was great. I really enjoyed it. Like I was saying earlier, playing on Centre Court is always like a dream and a great experience. From playing last year in my first match here, this is the best it's been in terms of atmosphere. At points in the match it was really loud. It was a great atmosphere to be in.

When you're on Centre Court, to have the crowd behind you, it's a great thing to have. It's obviously better than being against you. In terms of experience, it was a nice one.

Q. Did you take any energy from watching the football? Did you stay away from it?
KYLE EDMUND: No, I was obviously keeping an eye on it, watching. It's obviously on a bunch of screens around the locker rooms, physio area. Yeah, I was obviously keeping an eye on it.

Q. Give you any sort of boost?
KYLE EDMUND: Well, it's great. I mean, they're in the semis, first of all. England being in the semis of World Cup doesn't happen too often obviously. It's nice to see that.

But, again, regardless of the result, you're obviously here to play tennis, it's the priority. I'm always going to be up for playing that match.

Q. What would be your verdict on the grass court season as a whole?
KYLE EDMUND: Well, overall in terms of level, it's been a lot better for me. My game's really improved this year. If you think back to 12 months ago, where it was, where it is now, there's been really good improvements, which I'm pleased about.

So, yeah, movement on it has been a lot better, understanding it. It's been that constant learning process. I think overall it's been the case with me on the grass every year I'm getting slightly better.

Yeah, the losses that I've had, it's always good to learn from in each of the tournaments. I guess the good thing is it's better and there's room to improve, for sure. Yeah, I mean, I think today I put a decent level out on court.

Q. You said that you felt the atmosphere was great, supportive. I don't know whether you heard, but Novak made something of an unprecedented attack against a Wimbledon crowd, saying they were unkind to him, disrespectful to him. Did you pick up on any of that?
KYLE EDMUND: No. I don't know, I'm not aware of that. Yeah, I didn't -- I mean, it's not really my job to get too much into that. For me, I'm British. I'm playing in front of the British crowd. I'm just trying to soak it all in and enjoy it.

In terms of reading too much into that, yeah, I don't know. I've played in Serbia. Serbian fans obviously supported Serbian players. That's normal. I don't really know. He'd obviously have his opinion on it. For me, I just soaked it up and tried to enjoy it as much as possible.

Q. Was it more like a Davis Cup crowd?
KYLE EDMUND: It was louder today. But obviously crowds, the atmosphere, sometimes -- mostly probably, judging on how you're playing as well. If you're losing, not playing very well, the crowd don't start cheering for no reason. They obviously cheer and get into it because the match is in a good situation, it's intense.

Today, you know, reasonably throughout the whole match, it was a good contest.

Q. It felt like you were on top for 80 minutes, then he was on top for the rest. It seemed that maybe he went up a level. Did you feel that he came on stronger middle of second set?
KYLE EDMUND: I don't know. I mean, tennis is like that in terms of momentum swings and stuff. I think in terms of margins, it was pretty close. In terms of sometimes the way I got broken, I had game points, but didn't get it. I mean, it's easier to say if's and but's.

When was it? I think I had Love-30 in the fourth set, I'm not too sure, but I broke points back in the third. The margins are very small at the top of the game.

Yeah, like I said, sort of answering the first question in terms of you won a set, did you think you were going to win. Answering that question, it's such a long match in best-of-five sets that you really have to play well consistently throughout the whole of it.

Q. The double bounce, what happened there in your view?
KYLE EDMUND: What do you mean "the double bounce"?

Q. It looked like it bounced twice, the one that Novak complained about in the fourth set.
KYLE EDMUND: I don't know what there is to say about it really.

Q. You thought you got under it legally? He thought maybe it bounced twice.
KYLE EDMUND: Yeah, that's it really. He thought it did. I was scrambling. I mean, it sounds like you're still unsure if it bounced twice.

Q. It's hard for us to say.
KYLE EDMUND: Exactly. It's hard to say, isn't it?

Q. Television proves it did.
KYLE EDMUND: That's the thing. You need television to see it. If in real life it's hard to tell, then it's hard to tell for me when I'm scrambling. Generally if you need television to look at stuff, when you're in the moment trying to make that split decision... I don't really know what to say. I try my best to get there. We need the umpire to get off his chair and go to the TV monitor on the side.

Q. What would you have liked to have done better today? Any parts of your game you feel didn't go as well? What do you take away from this whole Wimbledon week?
KYLE EDMUND: I mean, today was reasonably good. Not too much in terms of margins. I would have maybe, looking back on it, liked to have been a little bit more aggressive at stages. But easier said than done when you're in rallies.

I mean, this year I've returned better on grass. Obviously serving overall on every surface this year has been better. When you're serving well on a grass court, it's good.

It's really hard to say, like, definitely what I'd like to do better because it's very small margins. Even the stuff that I'm doing well, you always try and get better. I'm moving a lot better on the grass this year. Can be even better.

It's one of those things, grass, where there's now 12 months to wait till the next time. It's one of them where you sort of have to remember and think back to how the season was last year, think, Oh, yeah, I did that better, I could have done that, try to improve that this season.

I think overall I'm happy with the way it's gone. Yeah, just would have liked to have won today, but didn't happen. Yeah, I think overall it's been more positive from my side.

Q. Will you have any chance for a break now? Tell us what your training schedule and tournament schedule will be leading up to New York.
KYLE EDMUND: Well, in terms of the training, I can't answer that because I just need to -- I haven't spoken with anyone. For sure I'll have a few days off physically, mentally. It's always a busy period for I'd say myself, but I guess the British players, around this time of year. That's fine.

In terms of tournaments, again, I'll have a chat with the guys. But I'm scheduled to play Umag, then Washington before the two Masters Series, and obviously into the U.S.

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