Edmund Talks Selfies, Shares His Three Go-To Recipes

Editor’s Note: This story was originally published on 22 March 2019. Kyle Edmund won the 2020 New York Open.

Kyle Edmund, having achieved his ATP Rankings goal in 2018 by finishing inside the Top 20, has set his target even higher in 2019 as the 24-year-old looks to improve upon his career-high of No. 14. Edmund, who beat Ilya Ivashka of Belarus 6-3, 6-2 on Friday at the Miami Open presented by Itau, talked with ATPTour.com late last season for this edition of ‘The Last Time’.

I missed a flight?
I would have missed a flight through connections being delayed but I’ve never – touched wood – missed one because I’ve woken up late or got to the airport late through my own fault.

You just always allow good time, two hours, hour and a half… I tend to be on time… if I need to be there on time. But if it’s pretty relaxed, I can be a couple minutes late.

I paid money to rent a tennis court or buy tennis balls?
Balls… sometimes if you turn up very early to the tournament, you’re there on the Tuesday before and it’s the first tournament in Asia or in the States, you have to pop down to Dick’s Sporting Goods and buy a set of balls… But I can’t remember the last time I paid to rent a court.

Being famous helped me?
Wimbledon, getting a table at a restaurant. They said they were full but then the owner recognised me, and said, ‘Don’t worry, we’ll get you one.’… I was going to leave but he said, ‘Oh, I’ll get you one.’

Watch: Edmund Enjoying His Rise

I cooked for myself and others?
[Last] summer at Wimbledon, because I was at home, but I have not cooked since then. During Wimbledon, I always stay with a mate from Yorkshire, where I grew up. So he always comes down during Queens and Wimbledon, and I cooked one day.

I made this chicken orzo dish, chopped some chicken breasts, some vegetables. It’s a soupy chicken orzo. It’s pretty healthy. I put as much vegetables in it as I can. It’s very easy to make. You just put it in and let it cook, simmer. I like to cook it because it’s the easiest one. People give me compliments, but who knows?

I don’t cook much but I have two or three dishes that I know. And when I do cook, I just cook them.

When I’m back home training, [I cook] probably two or three times a week, definitely not more than that. My other go-to recipes are just simple stuff, what’s easy to make… I try to make a chicken sweet potato dish, vegetable balinese is obviously easy. Those three dishes.

I’ve got like four or five books in the cupboard that people have bought for me, like “Dishes To Make Under 10 or 15 minutes” but I’ve never opened them. I should, though.

I asked someone famous for an autograph or selfie?
I was at the British Grand Prix, and I got a picture with Ian Poulter. I’m a big fan. I like him. I like golf anyways, but I like him because he’s a character. He’s pretty funny and a bit of a maverick. Always got his own agenda.