There’s a Brit in the final four of a grand slam … and his name isn’t Andy Murray.
Kyle Edmund, 23, secured the win of his career Tuesday, beating world No. 3 Grigor Dimitrov in four sets to reach the Australian Open semifinals.
Edmund’s previous best result in a grand slam came when he reached the fourth round of the US Open in 2016, and his performance in Melbourne guarantees him a place inside the world’s top 30 for the first time.
The current world No. 49, Edmund is the first Brit other than Murray to reach the semifinals of a major since Tim Henman at the 2004 US Open.
“I am loving it right now, just the way I’m playing,” Edmund told reporters. “I’m 23 years old, my first grand slam semifinal.
“First time I played on one of the biggest courts in the world, to beat a quality of player like Grigor. Of course, all these things I’m aware of.
“They’re great feelings. You obviously don’t play in the semifinals of a grand slam every day, or a quarters like today.”
READ: Kyle Edmund and Elise Merterns are surprise Australian Open semifinalists
Nadal eliminated
Tuesday was a day for upsets at the Australian Open, as No. 1 seed Rafael Nadal exited the quarterfinals at the hands of Marin Cilic.
Leading by two sets to one after an epic tie break in the third, the Spaniard pulled up with what looked like a muscle injury in his upper leg.
Following a lengthy medical timeout, in which he received court side treatment, Nadal reentered the match a break down in the fourth.
Looking to keep the match competitive and break back, Nadal winced and grimaced after every sprint and sharp turn, while visibly limping in between points.
“In this tournament [it’s] already happened a couple of times in my life, so it’s really I don’t want to say frustration, but is really tough to accept,” Nadal, who looked noticeably upset, told reporters.
“We worked as much as we could to be ready. We think we were ready. At least we were in quarterfinals only losing a set. Preparation went quite good. I was playing good tennis. I was fighting for a grand slam.”
Nadal plans to have an MRI on Wednesday to discover the extent of the injury.
Piano man
After what feels like an eternity, the longest-running transfer saga has come to an end.
Most people knew of Alexis Sanchez’s skills on the pitch, but Manchester United’s promotion of the transfer revealed to some a previously hidden talent: The Chilean knows his way around a piano!
Playing one of his new club’s most evocative songs – “Glory Glory Man United” –Sanchez showed he is almost as adept at tinkling the ivories as he is at putting the ball in the back of the net.
It’s not the first time Sanchez has showed off his musical talents; in 2014, German forward Lukas Podolski posted a video of Alexis serenading him with Richard Marx’s hit “Right Here Waiting.’
Hidden talents aside, United manager Jose Mourinho is delighted to have secured the signing of “one of the best attacking players in the world.”
“He will bring his ambition, drive and personality, qualities that make a Manchester United player and a player that makes the team stronger and the supporters proud of their club dimension and prestige,” added the United manager.
READ: Alexis Sanchez completes transfer to Manchester United; Henrikh Mkhitaryan joins Arsenal
‘Golf saved my life’
After 25 years of worsening eyesight, Mario Tobia eventually lost his vision to the degenerative disease Retinitis pigmentosa.
A talented golfer before losing his sight, Tobia feared he would never play the sport he loved again.
“When I first lost my vision it was pretty traumatic,” Tobia tells CNN Sport. “I had to stop working and things like that.
“Now I actually tell people that golf saved my life.”
Remarkably, Tobia regularly drives the ball over 240 yards – just 50 yards shorter than the PGA Tour average.
It’s the job of his coach, Frank Hesson, to set the club behind the ball, describe the lie and the conditions and whether he needs to open or close the face of the club.
Then Tobia takes a shot “just like everybody else.”
“Some of the other players and other coaches look at us with their mouths wide open, but it’s just something that he and I do together and both enjoy doing.”
READ: ‘You don’t have to see it to tee it’ – Meet blind golf champion Mario Tobia
Photo of the day
Surfer Ross Clarke-Jones rides a giant wave during a session in Nazare, Portugal.
Nazare is famed for its massive waves, reportedly created by a deep undersea canyon combined with winter storms.
It was also the setting for surfer-cum-violinist Nuno Santos, who took his project ‘Violin in the most unlikely places’ to the Portuguese coast.
READ: Meet the violin-playing surfer
What a shot! 20 amazing sports photos
You can see all of the best sports photos from the week just gone by clicking through the gallery above.
