Nobody – not even Kyle Edmund, if he were candid about it – expected the 100th-ranked player in the world to launch Great Britain’s bid for their first Davis Cup victory in 79 years by winning on his debut in the competition here against David Goffin.
Nevertheless, over two hours and 47 minutes of rolling drama, the 20-year-old gave all he had in what was a curiously lop-sided five-setter, before the experienced Belgian, ranked 16 in the world, wore him down to win 3-6, 1-6, 6-2, 6-1, 6-0 in front of a fevered audience of 13,000.
Goffin, playing on his favourite clay surface, had not dropped a set in four Davis Cup singles rubbers all year but found Edmund at turns brilliant, resolute then vulnerable before taking the opening rubber.
No final debutant has won a live rubber in the 115-year history of the Davis Cup – but Edmund threatened to do just that when two sets up and still strong early in the third set. However, once Goffin recovered from the early onslaught, he made Edmund pay for not cashing in.
Edmund will not quickly forget the first game of his debut in the sport’s oldest and most prestigious team tournament. Thunderous applause greeted every point but he could have done without the horn that interrupted his serve at 15-30, and another as he won the point. An official then walked along his sight line as he served to save the first of two break points. Edmund finished the job after 12 minutes, as the Belgian No1 stuck his backhand in the net. Welcome to the Davis Cup.
Now attuned to the rhythm of the court and the enormity of the occasion, Edmund broke to 15 within five minutes – still the unwanted interruptions flowed, this time a whistle on his ball toss, but he is unusually cool for a 20-year-old and, encouraged by his first ace, held to love to lead 3-0 inside 20 minutes.
Goffin began to find the net with disconcerting regularity, and then shoved a forehand long to hand Edmund his second break. Now the boy from Beverley began to smash his groundstrokes like Novak Djokovic, holding to love for 5-0 before the clock had ticked to the half-hour.
Goffin, 22 minutes after looking as if he would make the young Briton crack on his debut, saved a break point then held for the first time. Edmund’s composure briefly deserted him for 0-40 as he served for the set at 5-1, and Goffin struck a cracking winner to claw back a game.
Goffin held to love and the pressure shifted to Edmund’s racket as he stepped up to the service line. He botched a volley at 15-all but there was no doubt about the shot that won the set and eased his nerves, a belting ace.
After an hour, the British debutant was by a way the better player, hitting strongly and with precision, often leaving Goffin standing. Several times he could not reach Edmund’s withering groundstrokes; when he did, he struggled to control the counter or put the ball out of play. He looked seriously rattled as shot after shot failed to find its mark and a second double fault handed Edmund a 4-1 lead after only eight minutes of the second set.
What had been regarded beforehand as a challenge too far for Edmund, a match to perhaps rough up the opposition’s best player a bit before going down bravely, was turning into an embarrassment for Goffin. Serving to stay in the set at 1-5, he struck his third double fault at 15-40 and a quick end looked likely.
Edmund’s challenge now was hold his nerve within sight of a famous victory. Goffin was not going to make it easy for him.
The crowd came to life at the start of the third set as Goffin strove for parity, and were ecstatic when Edmund drove a forehand long for the break.
When Goffin held to love for 3-1 they were rightly encouraged to believe their player was at least back in the fight.
A call of “out” from the crowd on an Edmund forehand down the line at 15-all on his serve in the fifth game forced a replay of the point but Goffin, rejuvenated, grabbed two break points, and Edmund hit long again.
For the first hour and a half, Edmund had posted only six unforced errors; within five minutes he had doubled his tally.
Edmund, the adrenalin flowing again, got one break back in the sixth game but dropped serve in the seventh, netting a backhand on the run from the baseline and Goffin served to force a fourth set.
A little head-shaking invaded Edmund’s work as his frustrations grew and the contest tightened. Although neither player was on top of his game, Goffin broke for 2-1 and Edmund needed a quick fix of confidence to get back on level terms.
Down a break and 15-30 in the fourth game, Edmund was distracted when play was interrupted for several minutes while the central support of the net was retaped – but it was his game that needed fixing. A limp backhand cost him his serve and Goffin grew in stature.
The unforced errors were piling up for the young British player, whose early zest had dipped alarmingly. When Goffin broke to level at two sets apiece after two hours and 22 minutes, a match that had been Edmund’s for the taking an hour earlier had turned into a trial of his will and perseverance.
But what had been a blessed rising turned inexorably into a wretched decline. Once Goffin sensed the strength draining from Edmund’s legs, he punished him on both wings. The final scene went in a mercifully quick flash.
Edmund looked perplexed. Where had his forehand gone, the stroke that had brought him 20 clean winners but which was now a liability? Why was the net so large and the court so small? Why did his once sturdy legs not respond to his urgings?
After a glimmer of salvation at deuce near the end, he was powerless to prevent Goffin going 5-0 up – the lead he had held himself in the first set, which seemed so long ago.
Leon Smith asked him for one last effort and he tried but there was little left to give and a forehand wide delivered him release from the torment.
