The family of Britain’s new tennis sensation Kyle Edmund have spoken of their pride after he roared into the semi final of the Australian Open.
The 23-year-old’s overjoyed mother and sister said they were ‘lost for words’ at his David v Goliath victory over World Number 3 Grigor Dimitrov – Nicole Scherzinger’s boyfriend – and are now mulling over whether to fly out to Australia to cheer him on.
Nicknamed ‘Kedders’, the Yorkshireman is now on course to leapfrog Murray, who is out injured, to become the new British number 1 – but needs to reach the final first.
His victory in Melbourne means Edmund will take home at least £509,000 – adding to his career earnings of £1.5million.
‘King Kyle’, as he has been dubbed, will play Croatian Marin Cilic in the semi-final and his mother, Denise, and sister, Kelly, are considering a last minute dash to join his father, Steven, to watch.
Speaking at their East Yorkshire home today, Denise and Kelly said: ‘We’re lost for words, but really proud.’
Kyle Edmund with his parents, Steven and Denise, at his sister Kelly’s graduation
Kyle Edmund has beaten Grigor Dimitrov to reach the Australian Open semi-finals
His success is an immense source of pride for his company director father Steven, mother Denise (right), who runs a small payroll business, and 21-year-old sister Kelly (left and right)
His sister, Kelly (pictured together when they were children), 21, celebrated her big brother’s amazing victory by retweeting various pictures and videos of the moment he beat Dimitrov, with one tweet branding him ‘King Kyle’
Jean Vosloo, who has six grandchildren including Edmund (wearing a maroon T-shirt in 2014), described the player as a ‘determined character with a mind of his own’
Mr Vosloo, who is known as ‘oups’ (oupa means grandfather in Afrikaans) to Edmund, admitted he was sad when Denise and the family moved to Britain
His sister, Kelly, 21, celebrated her big brother’s amazing victory by retweeting various pictures and videos of the moment he beat Dimitrov, with one tweet branding him ‘King Kyle’.
Grandfather Jean Vosloo, 81, is setting an alarm for 3am to watch the Open from his home in South Africa – where Edmund was born.
Mr Vosloo, who has six grandchildren including Edmund, described the player as a ‘determined character with a mind of his own’.
He told MailOnline: ‘I follow every stroke of every one of Kyle’s games, if I can get it on my TV.
‘I set the alarm and I am watching very closely, it is just so exciting to watch him. I sit alone these days as my wife Aletha died the year before last, it would be nice to have company, share my pride in him.
‘We have a family WhatsApp group so we keep in touch that way, and I spoke to Denise, Kyle’s mother today.
‘She is not with him in Australia, his father Steven is with him. Denise has been the backbone of the whole story, she is the one who got him into lessons and then encouraged him as he just got better and better.’
Left, Edmund with his younger sister Kelly, while they were pupils at Pocklington prep school and right, during his training a as a youngster
The British No 2 put on a stunning display in Melbourne to see off the Bulgarian
Edmund’s family said they were ‘proud’ of his ‘efforts and application’ over the past 12 years
Mr Vosloo, who is known as ‘oups’ (oupa means grandfather in Afrikaans) to Edmund, admitted he was sad when Denise and the family moved to Britain.
He added: ‘I remember him as a child, he had a mind of his own, a very determined little character.
‘Whatever he chose to do he was very focused about it, so determined to get it done and do it right. He was a good soccer play as well, he just really goes for it when he puts his mind to something.
‘I would love to see him get to a Wimbledon final or something, I would jump on a plane for that at a drop of a hat if I could get my finances right.
‘It was very sad when Denise and the family moved to the UK, but the opportunity was good for them and they are making the most of it.’
Nicknamed ‘Kedders’, the Yorkshireman stunned the sporting world with a shock win against World Number 3 Grigor Dimitrov – Nicole Scherzinger’s boyfriend
Edmund in action during his Boys Singles match against American Raymond Sarmiento at Wimbledon in 2010
His auntie, Jayne Edmund, 45, from Dorset, said the whole family were proud of him.
Speaking from her semi-detached home in Weymouth, Dorset, Miss Edmund, 45, said: ‘Sadly I’ve lost touch with my brother and his family.
‘My brother and I have never been close even when we were growing up.
‘He (her brother) used to play tennis in his early teens, he was quite good. I think he played for Redcliff, the town we lived in in Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe).
‘They came out to visit me when I still lived in South Africa once or twice but I moved to the UK in 2006 and since then I think I’ve only seen them at a christening in 2009.
‘But I’ve kept track of Kyle’s career through Facebook and through my dad. He’s always really excited when I talk to him about Kyle.
‘Everyone’s really proud. I stay in touch with him and my niece Kelly through Facebook. ‘I was really pleased when I found out he’d got through.
‘My partner’s mum called me and told me to turn on the TV.
‘Then I saw stuff this morning with them calling him the king. It’s great.’
Murray, who is recovering from hip surgery, praised his understudy today, tweeting: ‘Wow @kyle8edmund’.
Speaking after the game, he said: ‘I know what it feels like to be Andy Murray for the last eight years or so.
British tennis player Kyle Edmund, aged 12, when he attended the Richard Plews Tennis School at the David Lloyd Tennis Centre, Hull
‘It’s an amazing feeling, very happy, with these things you are so emotionally engaged you don’t really take it in.
‘I’m just trying to enjoy the moment. It was my first match on this court, very special.
‘It’s great, thinking about it I will be proud at some point. Reaching the last stages of one of the biggest tournaments is very pleasing but I want to go further.
‘It comes with the territory, the better you do the more attention you get. There’s been more attention on me, you take it in your stride but it’s a good problem to have.’
He is being hailed as Britain’s ‘new Andy Murray’ but rising tennis star Edmund may never have taken up the sport had it not been for his mother.
The middle-class Yorkshire boy, nicknamed ‘Kedders’, joked how he first went to tennis lessons because he was ‘probably annoying his mother’ Denise and she ‘just wanted him to do something’.
He was so shy as a teen that his friends ordered for him at restaurants.
But now a series of surprise victories in Melbourne has seen Edmund burst onto the world stage – earning plaudits from stars including Rafael Nadal.
Edmund (far right) claps as Britain’s Dominic Inglot holds up the Davis Cup trophy next to captain Leon Smith, Andy Murray, Jamie Murray in 2015
Edmund caused an upset as the world No 3 crashed out of the first Grand Slam of the year
‘I managed to break him, held my nerve and prayed that last ball was out,’ said Edmund
Edmund’s previous matches with Dimitrov had gone to deciding sets, but this did not require it
But for the mild mannered sportsman, from the village of Tickton, this has been a long journey of hard work and dedication.
Born in Johannesburg in 1995, he moved to east Yorkshire at three when his parents Steven, 49, and Denise, 50.
Keen for her children to be active, Denise ferried them to and from David Lloyd Racquet and Fitness Club in Hull every Saturday morning.
But at the age of 10 her son preferred cricket and swimming, not tennis.
Edmund told the Daily Express: ‘My mum said to me, ”I’ve booked you in for some tennis lessons on Saturdays as well”. It was only an hour a week I used to do.
‘But that’s how it started. Mum, I don’t know, just wanted me to do something because I was probably annoying her.’
Left, Kyle Edmund, as a Junior Davis Cup winner in 2011, and as a 23-year-old with with his mother, Denise
Pictured is a young Kyle Edmund with his younger sister, Kelly, in December 2012
A bright youngster, Edmund went to Beverley Grammar School before forming part of the British team that won the Junior Davis Cup for the first time in 2011.
By the age of 17 he was enrolled at the Lawn Tennis Association’s elite training centre in London, returning to his family’s £350,000 home at the weekend.
In 2015, Edmund was part of the team that delivered Britain’s first Davis Cup victory in 79 years.
He is ranked 49th in the world and number two in Britain, thanks in part to his particularly powerful forehand and much-improved serve.
Edmund now stands on the verge of entering Britain’s tennis hall of fame – after reaching the semi finals of the Open.
Murray is the only other British player to do so, since John Lloyd in 1985.
Edmund (far right) claps as Britain’s Dominic Inglot holds up the Davis Cup trophy next to captain Leon Smith, Andy Murray, Jamie Murray in 2015
However, while his confidence and talent is winning him a legion of expectant fans, his personality off the court could not be more different.
His main passion away from tennis is supporting Liverpool. He goes to matches when he can and is good friends on tour with the likes of Liverpudlian doubles brothers Ken and Neal Skupski and Australian John Millman, who are all fellow Reds.
He may not want to chat too much about football with coach Fredrik Rosengren, who supports Manchester United.
His main passion away from tennis is supporting Liverpool. He goes to matches (pictured at West Ham’s London Stadium in November last year) when he can and is good friends on tour with the likes of Liverpudlian doubles brothers Ken and Neal Skupski and Australian John Millman, who are all fellow Reds
When he was first selected for the Davis Cup squad, as a teenager in 2014, he was known to be so shy that teammates ordered for him at restaurants.
His success is an immense source of pride for his company director father Steven, mother Denise, who runs a small payroll business, and 21-year-old sister Kelly.
His father said: ‘We are very proud, not necessarily about his achievements this week, but more with his efforts and application over the last 12 years. It’s great that he is maturing into a wonderful young man, enjoying his tennis and seeing the results this year.’
Edmund moved his official residence from London to the Bahamas during the off-season
Edmund moved his official residence from London to the Bahamas during the off-season.
Having previously trained with Andy Murray in Miami, the 23-year-old now has Lleyton Hewitt’s academy to base himself at during practice weeks, while the location offers hot weather and a convenient base for tournaments in North America.
Standing well over 6ft with broad shoulders, his power and precision with a racket is catching the attention of the sport’s biggest stars, including Nadal.
Edmund pushed the Spaniard hard when they met at the Monte Carlo Open in April last year, having a break point to pull ahead of him in a deciding set at a tournament he usually dominates.
‘Oh, he’s good. He’s a good player, and for me it’s not a surprise,’ said Nadal, when asked about the Englishman’s success in Australia.
He added: ‘It’s a normal thing for me. Was a little bit more surprising for me last year Kyle lost a lot of close matches, I think. But, no, I really believe in his potential.
‘He has a huge serve, huge forehand, and he hit very strong the ball, no? So I really think he’s going to have a great year.’
With an agonising delay, Hawk-Eye adjudicated in Edmund’s favour on match point to put him into the Australian Open semi-final with victory over world No 3 Dimitrov.
It ruled that the Bulgarian’s last backhand had gone long by a few millimetres, and Edmund had completed a 6-4, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 victory over the winner of November’s ATP Finals in London.
Edmund also paid tribute to the team behind his rise: ‘My game style is obviously an aggressive one.
‘A number of times last year I was playing OK but came unstuck a few times too often in close stages, so we tried to really think what’s going to make the difference. Fidde (Rosengren) is involved but also Mark Hilton back home.
‘They work together. Of course I’ve also been together with my trainer Ian Prangley a long time, so I’m really happy for the team around me. So far it’s going well.’
Edmund tore into the Bulgarian with his forehand right from the off and immediately broke
Dimitrov settled down more in the second, looking at his box less anxiously than before
After that wobble, however, he showed resolve to break back immediately in the final set
Britain’s Davis Cup captain Leon Smith celebrates after Edmund’s win against Dimitrov