Edmund puts Britain ahead over Serbia in rain-hit Davis Cup

Edmund puts Britain ahead over Serbia in rain-hit Davis Cup

BELGRADE - Defending champions Great Britain shrugged off the absence of Wimbledon champion Andy Murray to take a 1-0 lead over Serbia in their Davis Cup World Group quarter-final on Friday.

Britain's Kyle Edmund reacts after winning a point against Serbia's Janko Tipsarevic during the Davis Cup World Group quarter-final in Belgrade on July 15, 2016

Kyle Edmund eased past Janko Tipsarevic 6-3, 6-4, 6-0 but heavy rain meant the scheduled second singles rubber was cancelled until Saturday.

"To get us off to a good start was great. Each set I really found my game. I was very pleased with my win," said Edmund, the world number 67, after a match which was interrupted twice due to rain at the Tasmajdan stadium.

"We played three games before it rained. I wanted to get the intensity high from the first game back. I managed it when he broke back in the second set.

"I just tried to relax during the rain breaks. When you go back in it's almost a lull. I had some food and had a shower. It's not hard to switch on and off."

After the second suspension, the players waited two hours to return to the court.

The second singles match between Dusan Lajovic and James Ward was postponed until Saturday.

Serbia, the 2010 champions, are without world number one Novak Djokovic who pulled out of the quarter-final after his shock third round exit at Wimbledon and with one eye on the Rio Olympics.

Murray also opted out after winning his second title at the All England Club at the weekend.

Nenad Zimonjic and Tipsarevic are due to face Jamie Murray and Dominic Inglot in Saturday's doubles before Sunday's reverse singles.

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