Kyle Edmund's former teacher on the tennis star's determination to succeed

The 23-year-old has had to fly the flag for Britain on his own at the Australian Open after Andy Murray withdrew before the tournament with an ongoing hip problem, while Johanna Konta suffered a surprise second-round exit in the women's draw in Melbourne.

Edmund had only reached the fourth round of a grand slam event on one occasion, at the US Open in 2016, before his stellar run in Melbourne, which has seen him record victories over 11th seed Kevin Anderson, Denis Istomin, Nikoloz Basilashvili and Andreas Seppi in the gruelling Australian heat.

The world number 49 will face Grigor Dimitrov for a place in the last four, and Trevor Loten, who was Edmund's tennis coach during his time at Pocklington's prep school, believes his former pupil has all the attributes to improve as a player and eventually take the mantle as British number one in years to come.

Kyle grew up in the village of Tickton, near Beverley, and left the independent school at the age of 11 to attend Beverley Grammar School, which is state-funded.

Loten told Press Association Sport: "He is now in great physical shape, as shown in the recent long matches in the Australian heat. He has fought back from behind quite a few times and sort of gone the distance in five sets.

"I think it will give him a boost in his confidence and hopefully he can make it into the top 20.

"Kyle has worked his way up the world rankings steadily, rather than being a flash in the pan, and will have learned a lot from practising with Andy Murray.

"I have little doubt that Kyle could handle the pressure of being British number one. He has an exterior calm when he is interviewed, but he is also determined and motivated."

Loten spoke about the first time he saw Edmund in action as an 11-year-old and he knew immediately that the Briton was destined for a big future as a professional tennis player.

"We are absolutely delighted that he is doing so well and we hope that he can continue up the rankings after this event. It would be smashing if he could go further.

"He was a pupil at our prep school. Kyle actually left us aged 11, but I saw his tennis potential at that time - he and his partner won the Under-12 Northern Schools Boys Championships and he looked an outstanding player.

"He was also good at other sports too, like football and cricket, but I think he decided not long after he left us that he was really going to focus on tennis."

Loten added: "I've seen players at almost similar talent in the past, we had the Under-18 boys national champion at one time but he didn't make it. He didn't get any further.

"Kyle would be the one of the talented players I've seen in the past who had the most potential definitely.

"I think the advantage Kyle had was his determination to succeed. I think that is certainly evident in the last week or so."

Kyle Edmund - from Beverley to the Australian Open quarter-finals https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/kyle-edmund-from-beverley-tennis-club-to-the-australian-open-quarter-finals-1-8970990