Kyle Edmund tells off litter-bug Wimbledon rivals after sweeping past Alex Bolt into round two
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Eco-warrior Kyle Edmund told Wimbledon’s litter bugs to clean up their act after completing only his second win on the strawberry fields of SW19.
Britain’s No.1 looked every inch the new Andy Murray – an is the host nation's only survivor in the men’s draw after the first round – as he wiped the floor with Aussie qualifier Alex Bolt in straight sets.
But Edmund is not amused by the empty water bottles and assorted debris left scattered around the practice courts by the players.
What a load of rubbish? Not Edmund, who was tidier than the Wombles of nearby Wimbledon Common (ask your parents, kids!) as he put away Bolt 6-2 6-3 7-5 in 1hr 43mins on No.1 Court.
What a load of rubbish? While the other Brits suffered a familiar fate, the Tickton Thunderbolt’s 131mph serve was in rollicking good order.
What a load of rubbish? But the man who ended Murray’s 12-year reign as Britain’s top dog in March – the longest run at No.1 since Band Aid – aimed a swipe at junk and disorderly rivals who leave the All England Club’s practice courts looking like Glastonbury after the festival.
(Image: Daily Mirror)
Edmund said: “It’s been a problem at every tournament – players are too lazy to pick up their water bottles, towels and balls, myself included.
“It’s no good, really. We’re professional tennis players and obviously we should look after our rubbish. It’s just human beings being lazy, knowing that someone else will come and pick it up. I haven’t lost any sleep over it, but it’s probably best to clean up after ourselves.
“There was actually a sketch at Monte Carlo, a players’ party thing, where they came on and had a hit – and then they threw away their water bottles and a banana skin. Someone else came on and tripped over the banana skin.”
Edmund’s only previous win at Wimbledon was against fellow Brit Alex Ward, ranked No.869 in the world, in last year’s first round.
He normally takes to grass about as enthusiastically as ducks to orange sauce, but when his serve is hitting the lines and his forehand packs a punch, there is no reason why he should not prosper on this surface.
(Image: EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)
Any player in the world’s top 20 should not turn turtle at the sight of a lawnmower and Edmund admitted: “When you have a big serve, you’ve got to use that to your advantage, especially on a grass court. I know I have a good game and always try to believe in it. I find a lot of matches at this level are won or lost in the head.”
Edmund, 23, certainly doesn’t seem fazed by his locker being next to absent two-time champion Murray’s in the changing room.
Although he may not have Rafa Nadal’s pneumatic biceps or Roger Federer’s army of fangirls, when Edmund gives his forehand a full blast of air, it usually gets messy on the other side of the net.
He admitted: “Regardless of how many Brits are here or whether Andy is around, there’s probably been more attention on me – but my run in the Australian Open probably helps.
“It’s tough to say whether that extra attention was because of Andy not being here, but it’s all part and parcel of professional sport and going up in the rankings.”