Unfortunately just as he reached the highest point in his career, left knee issues started plaguing Edmund, and two years later in November 2020 still ranked inside the top 50, he underwent the first of three knee surgeries, keeping him off the Tour for 21 months.
Despite winning his opening round match in Washington DC, he struggled to get wins at ATP Tour level, losing nine matches in a row before focusing on ITF and ATP Challenger level in 2023-24. He did manage to win back-to-back domestic titles on the LTA’s Performance Competitions Calendar in Loughborough and Sunderland at the start of last season and improved his singles ranking 300 spots inside the world’s top 350, however bigger success eluded him.
Finally last month after reaching the first ATP Challenger final of his comeback in Nottingham on 13 July to Jack Pinnington-Jones 6-4, 7-6(1), Edmund decided that was the time to call time on his tennis career.
Explaining his decision to retire, Edmund said: “The last five years have taken a toll with three surgeries and other injuries such as wrist, ab, hip and foot in trying to get better, my body is telling me its finally reached the end point. Looking back I can say I tried my absolute best in my career and my hardest to get back to where I was. There are no regrets whatsoever. I have always been quite a determined person and I have no doubt I’ll apply those principles that I learned in my tennis career to whatever I do next and something I’m very excited about.”
Kyle also paid tribute to the role his family played in supporting his career: “My parents and my sister have been hugely influential in my career. The person that I am today and how I carried myself on and off the court is a reflection of my mum and dad and how they brought me up. I’m hugely grateful to them for being so supportive, never pushing me, encouraging and teaching me to be self-motivated.
“Of course there have been many coaches along the way too and it’s impossible to shine a light on just a few, just to say thanks to all of them.”
LTA Chief Executive Scott Lloyd said: “I want to congratulate Kyle on a professional career which delivered many outstanding and memorable achievements. Through his quiet determination and sheer hard work both on and off the court, he reached British No.1, a career-high of No.14 in the world, the last four of the Australian Open and played a key role in our Davis Cup semi-final runs in 2016 and 2019, after also being on the winning team in 2015.
“These represent just a few highlights of his career demonstrating his incredible talent. Everyone at the LTA and the whole British tennis family wishes him the very best in the next chapter of his life.”