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MELBOURNE, Australia -- No Andy Murray, no problem. Now, Kyle Edmund, just don't look at the draw. Edmund continues to fly the British flag in the men's event at the Australian Open after he produced a convincing 6-2, 6-3, 6-4 victory over Denis Istomin of Uzbekistan on Wednesday to reach the third round for the first time. With the highest seed in his section, Jack Sock, suffering an early exit in the first round, Edmund has perhaps the best chance of his career to register a first appearance in the quarterfinals of a Grand Slam. And with no Murray to take the burden of attention, the focus of British interest in the men's singles is on Edmund. Not that you'd know it. "My preparation and stuff doesn't change because Andy is here or isn't," Edmund said. "I still go through the same process, same preparation, same thoughts on court. When I'm on court, I don't start thinking I'm the only Briton. I might play worse, I might play better. Doesn't go through my head. It's a shame he's not here through injury." Edmund said he had not even looked at the draw, at least not past his next opponent, the Georgian, Nikoloz Basilashvili. "I only won my first match here last year in the main draw," said the laid-back Edmund, who beat Basilashvili in their only previous meeting, at the French Open in 2016. "Obviously this year I'm maturing, getting better, enjoying playing here, having two good wins." Conditions pretty much do suit me with the heat and the way the ball comes off the court. Every year you learn environment and the surface." Istomin was the man who stunned Novak Djokovic in the second round last year but he never had a chance against Edmund, who picked up where he left off against US Open runner-up Kevin Anderson in round one. Breaking serve in the opening game, the 23-year-old, now set to climb from his ranking of No. 49, dominated with his big serve as he wrapped-up the first set. Istomin had a medical timeout at the end of the first set, feeling pain in his left ankle, and he never looked like coming back as Edmund grew in confidence throughout. Edmund said his first-round win over Anderson had given him a confidence boost, both physically and mentally. "It doesn't mean it's any easier today but I just really took confidence from knowing that physically I showed up really well against a quality player and my level was good," Edmund said. "I knew today coming into the match that I was in a good place. I'm playing well. I'm happy with where I'm at in my game, stuff I'm working on." Temperatures are expected to be around 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit) on Friday and though Edmund said he didn't mind the heat, he will try not to repeat what happened on Monday, when he failed to top up the sun block. "I got a bit burned on Monday," he said. "I didn't put enough on then. It's my neck that gets the worst ones. "No, you're in the sun quite a bit. I know I have to (be careful) because of my pale skin. I have to take responsibility -- my mum gives me a lecture if I don't."
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