Kyle Edmund will attempt to break new ground by reaching his first grand slam quarter-final at the Australian Open on Sunday.
You have to go back to Tim Henman's run to the US Open semi-finals in 2004 to find a British man other than Andy Murray who has reached the last eight at a slam.
On paper, Edmund certainly has a great chance against Italian veteran Andreas Seppi, who is ranked 76 to Edmund's 49. But Seppi has been as high as 18 and caused one of the great tennis upsets by beating Roger Federer in the third round in 2015.
Edmund, who won their only previous clash indoors in Antwerp in 2016, said:
"It's a tough match. The reason I'm playing in the fourth round is because the guy I'm playing has also won three other matches. He's also going to be feeling good and feeling good about his game, like myself. "At the end of the day, it's 0-0. It's a fresh match. It doesn't really matter about head-to-heads or what their number is in the bracket next to their name. As you have probably seen in this tournament, there are a lot of seeds that have gone out. "It has to be a new challenge for me and get all that out of my head. I have to be ready for battle, really. That's the way I look at it."
Edmund was not on the practice schedule at Melbourne Park on Saturday, with rest the priority after his hugely impressive five-set win over Nikoloz Basilashvili in 40C heat on Saturday.
No doubt to the relief of both players, it will not be anywhere near as hot on Sunday, but the mental and physical resilience Edmund showed demonstrated how much he has developed.
The young Briton's progress has been noted by Eurosport analyst John McEnroe, who said: "I've watched Edmund play quite a bit here in Melbourne and over the past couple of years.
"Having seen him in the past struggle physically in these big, long matches, it looks like he's made a huge step forward. He's looking better than I've ever seen him. "Bouncing back from 2-1 down in two matches is extremely impressive. I was watching Kyle play (Denis) Shapovalov in Brisbane and I thought he looked like he was moving better than he ever had before. He's a big guy, he obviously works hard and it looks like he's got himself physically and mentally where he needs to be."
The Australian Open has been Seppi's most successful grand slam and this is his fourth appearance in the fourth round, but he has never been further. The 33-year-old had his own marathon in the third round, beating Ivo Karlovic in five sets, and he is wary of the talents of Edmund.
"He's a very tough opponent," said Seppi. "He can play some very fast tennis, especially with the forehand. Of course, he is very dangerous. But I think it's another good match for me. Hopefully I can play some more good tennis in the next round."
Seppi remembers his last encounter with Edmund, when the British number two triumphed 6-3 6-4 in the quarter-finals to make his first ATP Tour semi-final. He reached three more last season but is yet to make a final.
Kyle Edmund's serve was a potent weapon throughout the match
2018 Australian Open Dates: 15-28 January Venue: Melbourne Park Coverage: Watch highlights on BBC Two, the BBC Sport website and app. Live commentary on the best matches on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra and online.
Kyle Edmund powered into a first Grand Slam quarter-final with a four-set win over Italy's Andreas Seppi at the Australian Open.
The British number two, ranked 49th, recovered from a slow start to win 6-7 (4-7) 7-5 6-2 6-3 at Melbourne Park.
Edmund, 23, trailed by a set and a break but hit 25 aces and cut down on early errors as he went on to dominate.
He will face Australian Nick Kyrgios or Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria in the last eight on Tuesday.
Edmund joins Andy Murray as the only British men to reach the quarter-finals in Melbourne since John Lloyd in 1985.
"Through to my first quarter-final - I am very happy," said Edmund.
"It was a close first set and I didn't feel I got the best start. He was hitting the ball very clean.
"In the second set I tried to shift the momentum and once I broke him in the last game of the second set I took control of the match."
'Nothing really beats winning'
Two days after after a gruelling five-set contest in 40C heat, Edmund found the energy in much cooler conditions to see off the experienced Seppi and make a Grand Slam breakthrough.
The work done on his serve and return with new coach Freddie Rosengren, watching from the stands alongside Davis Cup captain Leon Smith, paid off handsomely.
"It shows I'm improving," said Edmund, who finished with 63 winners to 40 unforced errors.
"It's always good to see when results come, because that's when it really shows it's paying off.
"You can see you're improving, but nothing really beats winning and results."
Asked whether his early struggles were the result of a gruelling week that has included two five-set wins, Edmund said: "He just got off to a good start.
"Sometimes you don't win every point and don't win all the games you want to. There's some problem-solving.
"It was still reasonably physically tough out there, but I did a good job of managing it."
Edmund turns the tide
Both players were trying to reach the last eight at a major for the first time and it was Seppi, the world number 76, who looked the more likely in the early stages on Hisense Arena.
The 33-year-old was untroubled on serve and constantly pushing for the first break, deservedly taking the set in a tie-break with two sweeping backhand winners.
Edmund had treatment to his shoulder late in the first set and when he fell a break down early in the second set, his prospects looked bleak.
Instead it galvanised the Briton, who broke straight back with a forehand winner and began to assume control.
After 23 unforced errors in the first set he would make just six in the second and five in the third, gaining more control of his service games and starting to pick off winners.
By the fourth set he was teeing off at will on the Seppi second serve in particular, winning all but one of those points as the pressure on the Italian became overwhelming.
With a landmark victory in sight, Edmund simply grew stronger, forcing six break points before Seppi finally succumbed with a backhand into the net on the seventh.
An ace helped Edmund serve out in style after just short of three hours, taking his time on court over four rounds to 12 hours - making the next two days vital as he prepares for another defining contest on Tuesday.
Edmund reaching new heights - analysis
BBC tennis correspondent Russell Fuller at Melbourne Park
Both Edmund and Seppi played five sets in Friday's furnace, and it was the British player who looked more jaded in the opening exchanges. Only his serve was keeping him in touch, but he still found himself a set and an early break down.
But from that point on, Edmund was hugely impressive. He dramatically reduced his error count and found reserves of energy to dial up his aggression. His impressive serve made a Seppi second wind seem increasingly unlikely.
A place in the quarter-finals will guarantee Edmund a career high ranking of around 35. But of more importance right now will be the chance to dine at the top table of men's tennis as the 23-year-old savours a first ever Grand Slam quarter-final.
Where the match was won
Match stats Edmund Seppi 25 Aces 12 3 Double faults 2 63 First serve % in 63 80 Win % on first serve 70 5/15 Break points converted 1/6 63 Winners 42 183kmh Fastest serve 178kmh
The story so far
Edmund's route to the last eight First round: Beats Kevin Anderson 6-7 (4-7) 6-3 3-6 6-3 6-4 Second round: Beats Denis Istomin 6-2 6-2 6-4 Third round: Beats Nikoloz Basilashvili 7-6 (7-0) 3-6 4-6 6-0 7-5 Fourth round: Beats Andreas Seppi 6-7 (4-7) 7-5 6-2 6-3
Edmund's Grand Slam record
Tournament Best result Australian Open Quarter-finals (2018) French Open Third round (2017) Wimbledon Second round (2017) US Open Fourth round (2016)
Who is Kyle Edmund?
Australian Open 2018 Kyle Edmund beats Andreas Seppi to reach Australian Open quarter-finals • Edmund overcomes Italian veteran 6-7, 7-5, 6-2, 6-3
• 23-year-old reaches last eight of slam for first time Kyle Edmund has become the first British player other than Andy Murray to reach the Australian Open quarter-finals since John Lloyd 33 years ago. Photograph: Ng Han Guan/AP
The good news keeps piling up for Kyle Edmund. On Sunday the 23-year-old Yorkshireman became the first British player other than Andy Murray to reach the quarter-finals of the Australian Open since John Lloyd 33 years ago.
Ranked 49 in the world but certain to climb much higher, he did in four sets what Nick Kyrgios could not do with a two-set lead here a year ago, beating the stylish Italian veteran Andreas Seppi 6-7, 7-5, 6-2, 6-3 in just under three hours on Hisense Arena.
He was a set and a break down – as he had been in his four-hour, five-setter against the 2017 US Open finalist in the first round – and there is a sense that his youthful strength could carry him even deeper in this tournament. This is his first slam quarter-final but he looks eerily comfortable in that company.
“It’s a good feeling,” Edmund said courtside, hopping from foot to foot and obviously keen to get to the comfort of the locker room. “It was a really interesting match, quite close first set, he was hitting the ball very clean. I had to shift the momentum, took control in the second set. He’s reached the fourth round quite a few times, had two five-setters against Nick [Kyrgios], won a five-setter against [Ivo] Karlovic. But I’ve won two five-setters too.”
On the absence of Murray – a question he is asked daily – he said, almost impatiently, “It’s a shame Andy’s not here. I keep saying that. You play for your nation, but you’re also here playing for yourself. Hopefully we have more British players here in the future.”
The early going against was tough. Edmund had to save four break points in the first half hour, and in the eighth game fought through six deuce points, a sixth ace helping him over the line. But the impression he was giving was one of struggle, a sports car stuck behind a lorry on the motorway.
At 5-6, Edmund had the trainer on for a medical timeout to rub cream into his right shoulder. He’d been hitting 205kph at the higher end of his serving efforts, averaging 187kph, numbers in keeping with his tournament averages, mid-range among the speed merchants but potent enough.
The aces, wide and down the T, kept flowing but it was off the ground where he was searching for rhythm against an opponent adept at changing direction and depth, and they were soon in a tie-break. Seppi came to life, grabbing two set points with a controlled forehand to the deuce corner – and he chose the same spot to seal the set in just under an hour.
The second set gave him scope to recover and, after 45 minutes of tighter control, he was back in the match. But it wasn’t until he barrelled down a second-serve, 187kph ace – his 25th – at the start of the third that Edmund went ahead in the match for the first time. It had taken him an hour and 53 minutes, testimony to his patience as well as his commitment to the fight. He cracked a big winner for the break and then, with ball in hand – his most comfortable setting now – he looked to be pulling away in cruise control at 3-0.
Whatever problems he had with his right shoulder earlier looked to have vanished as he crunched a forehand winner off a 192kph serve, and the Italian could only wave it through. When Edmund belted an equally untouchable reply to the same spot to break and win the set in 32 minutes, the game looked properly up for Seppi, who was appearing in his 52nd slam and never made it to the quarters.
Nothing changed in the fourth. Edmund began with an ace, his 19th, and continued to torment his opponent with big, accurate point-starters all the way to the end of the match. Edmund was now hitting a frightening level of power and precision. The 33-year-old Seppi – who has career wins over Gustavo Kuerten, David Nalbandian and Lleyton Hewitt from another era, as well as slam champions Rafael Nadal, Stan Wawrinka and Juan Martin del Potro, not to mention knocking Nick Kyrgios out here last year – could not find an answer.
Edmund broke him in the eighth game, aced him for the 26th time as her served for the match and, playing big shots all the way to the end, finished it with another big serve wide to the forehand side.
Meanwhile on Rod Laver Arena, the most impressive of the familiar contenders in the first week, dipped briefly before beating the shortest man in tennis, Diego Schwartzman, 6-3, 6-7, 6-3, 6-3, in three hours and 51 minutes.
