- Lucas Pouille overcame 6-7 (7-9), 6-4, 6-3 in two hours and 17 minutes
- Edmund dropped serve at start of second set to allow Pouille back into match
- Two more breaks against Edmund in the decider sealed the outcome
British number three Kyle Edmund was left to rue a costly lapse in concentration as he lost out to France’s Lucas Pouille in the semi-finals of the Erste Bank Open in Vienna.
Edmund, playing in a tournament won by Andy Murray last year, took the opening set on a tie-break.
However, Pouille hit back to win a hard-fought contest 6-7 (7-9), 6-4, 6-3 in two hours and 17 minutes.
Lucas Pouille beat Kyle Edmund in three sets in the Erste Bank Open semi-final
Edmund took the first set but let his semi-final opponent back into the match in Vienna
Pouille had to save six break points in the opening set before racing into a 4-0 lead in the tie-break, the 23-year-old producing a brilliant backhand return winner down the line and benefiting from a double fault from his opponent.
Edmund refused to throw in the towel and saved two set points before taking the tie-break 9-7 to move within a set of reaching his first final at ATP World Tour level.
However, the 22-year-old promptly dropped his serve at the start of the second to allow Pouille back into the match and two more breaks in the decider sealed the outcome.
British number three Edmund was left to rue a costly lapse in concentration on Saturday