Kyle Edmund crashes out of Australian Open with first-round defeat by Tomas Berdych in straight sets

Kyle Edmund will tumble out of the world’s top 20 after his comprehensive Australian Open defeat at the hands of Tomas Berdych in the first round.

The British No 1, who reached the semi-finals here last year, lost in straight sets 6-3, 6-0, 7-5.

Berdych was always a dangerous unseeded opponent for Edmund – having been a semi-finalist here in 2014 and 2015 himself.

Tomas Berdych proved too good for Edmund as he beat him in straight sets on Monday

The 33-year-old acknowledges the Australian Open crowd after his victory over Edmund

It was a horrible draw for Edmund, seeded 13, against a player who has made at least the quarter-finals here in seven of the last eight years but has dropped down the rankings because of injury.

Edmund arrived in Melbourne with doubts over a knee problem and, although he declared himself happy with the progress he has made, he did not move well and offered little until the third set.

The 24-year-old called the result a ‘reality check’ and admitted: ‘It just shows where I am at the moment, my level and stuff, and how much and where I have to improve.

‘I’ve still got lots of years to play so obviously I’m confident I’ll be playing at a good standard again, but you’re always itching and competitive to get things done immediately.

‘You just have to have patience and give stuff time to get better, including my game. I’ve lost matches when I’m fully fit, so I have to work on lots of things to get back up there.’

Edmund suffered the ignominy of being bagelled in the second set during his first-round exit

Edmund admitted post-match that he stuff to work on as he bids to bounce back from the loss