Improving Kyle Edmund succumbs to Stan Wawrinka at Shanghai Masters

Edmund, who rose into the world’s top 50 for the first time this week, succumbed 6-3 6-4 and had to settle for words of praise from his conqueror as his day’s reward.

Wawrinka claimed the only break of the opening set in the eighth game, and then looked set to steam through the second after striking first for a 2-0 lead.

But Edmund, the 21-year-old from Beverley in East Yorkshire, made a fight of the contest by reeling off the next three games, bringing the set back on serve and showing Wawrinka he would need to step up his game again.

The US Open champion rose to the challenge in the ninth game, and then fended off three break points in the next to seal victory with a sliced backhand winner into the corner. Edmund, at full stretch on the forehand, was unable to put the ball back into play.

Wawrinka said he had been wary about facing Edmund, who has claimed a number of top 20 scalps this summer.

“I saw him play the last few days. This year I’ve seen he’s been playing really well recently,” Wawrinka said.

“I was expecting a really tough match because he’s improving a lot.”

Meanwhile, British number one Andy Murray produced another dominant display to record a comfortable 6-3 6-2 win over American Steve Johnson and book his place in the third round of the Shanghai Masters.

The world number two had been given a bye into round two, and was soon on the offensive to follow on from his success at the China Open last week.

He broke twice to take the first set in 41 minutes before continuing his dominance in a one-way second set to seal victory in one hour and 16 minutes.

Next up for Murray will be Lucas Pouille after the French 13th seed beat Nicolas Almagro.