Kyle Edmund vs Marin Cilic LIVE: British No 2 suffers defeat to end brilliant run at semi-finals

Follow the latest from the Australian Open semi-finals

Kyle Edmund: Who is Britain's new tennis star?

Kyle Edmund will attempt to reach his first ever Grand Slam final – and become the new British No 1 in the process – when he meets Marin Cilic in Melbourne on Thursday morning with a place in the Australian Open final on the line.

The 23-year-old beat world No 3 Grigor Dimitrov to reach the last four Down Under, having already reached a Grand Slam quarter-final for the first time in his career, and if Edmund can find a way to battle past Cilic and book his place in the final to face either Roger Federer or Hyeon Chung or Roger Federer, he will overtake Andy Murray in the world rankings.

But Cilic will be no walkover, having won the US Open in 2012 and reaching last year’s Wimbledon final, and the world No 6 has five years’ worth of experience more than Edmund that could prove crucial as the Briton ventures into unknown territory.

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Key Points

• Marin Cilic beats Kyle Edmund 6-2, 7-6, 6-2 to reach Australian Open final
• Cilic will face either Roger Federer or Hyeon Chung
• Women's final to see Caroline Wozniacki face Simona Halep

[25 January 2018 10:20 · Liam Corless]

Kyle Edmund trails Marin Cilic by two sets to love 

[25 January 2018 10:22 · Liam Corless]

Cilic* 6-2 7-6(4) 0-1 Edmund

Edmund holds to 15 to begin this second set.

[25 January 2018 10:25 · Liam Corless]

Cilic 6-2 7-6(4) 1-1 *Edmund

Cilic moves 30-0 up courtesy of a forehand winner followed by an unreturnable serve but he loses the next point with a netted groundstroke. 

However, another service winner follows before a solid overhead seals a hold to 15.

[25 January 2018 10:28 · Liam Corless]

Cilic* 6-2 7-6(4) 2-1 Edmund

Edmund, who is starting to look a little jaded now, misses the mark with a couple of groundstrokes to fall 0-30 behind. 

He wins the next point as Cilic nets a backhand but two more wayward backhands from the Brit hand the No 6 seed an early break in this third set.

[25 January 2018 10:29 · Liam Corless]

Marin Cilic leads Kyle Edmund by two sets and a break 

[25 January 2018 10:35 · Liam Corless]

Cilic 6-2 7-6(4) 3-1 *Edmund

The pair exchange groundstroke errors to split the first two points but Cilic produces back-to-back service winners to bring up a couple of game points.

Edmund saves the first one with a lovely forehand pass before dragging the game to deuce as Cilic nets a backhand.

After a couple of deuces Cilic produces two huge serves to seal the hold.

[25 January 2018 10:42 · Liam Corless]

Cilic* 6-2 7-6(4) 3-2 Edmund

Edmund has a game point at 40-30 but narrowly misses the mark with a backhand down the line as Cilic pegs him back to deuce.

A double fault then hands the No 6 seed a break point... but he can't take it as he sends a cross-court backhand beyond the baseline.

Edmund eventually holds via a lucky net cord as his cross-court backhand trickles over the net and leaves Cilic with no chance.

[25 January 2018 10:43 · Liam Corless]

Marin Cilic celebrates 

[25 January 2018 10:45 · Liam Corless]

Cilic 6-2 7-6(4) 4-2 *Edmund

Cilic holds to love in double-quick time. 

The Croat is just two games away from Sunday's final now.

[25 January 2018 10:52 · Liam Corless]

Cilic* 6-2 7-6(4) 5-2 Edmund

The pair exchange errors from the baseline to split the first two points before then exchanging sublime groundstroke winners to split the next two.

Edmund misses the mark with a backhand to fall 30-40 behind but Cilic can't convert the break point chance as he sends a return long.

After four deuces Cilic brings up a second break point with a big forehand... and this time he takes it as Edmund produces an error off the ground.