Edmund falls in first round again on mixed day for Brits in Rome

Kyle Edmund suffered another first-round defeat as he bowed out of the Internazionali BNL d’Italia after losing to Fernando Verdasco.

The 24-year-old has now lost in the first round at his last four tournaments – also going down in Monte Carlo, Munich and Madrid before this 4-6 6-4 6-2 loss in Rome.

Verdasco dispatched of Edmund in two hours and 23 minutes with the Briton now down to number 27 in the world rankings.

Dan Evans was beaten in three sets by Casper Ruud to follow Edmund in exiting at the first-round stage.

Evans, who had impressed against Dusan Lajovic to qualify for the event in Rome, looked good at times but eventually slipped to a 7-5 0-6 6-3 loss to Denmark’s Ruud.

But there was better news for Cameron Norrie, who came from a set down to win through to the second round.

Norrie, 23, beat John Millman 3-6 6-3 6-4 and will face Borna Coric of Croatia for a place in round three.

Meanwhile, in the women’s draw Johanna Konta eased her way into the second round with a straight-sets victory over Alison Riske.

The British number one needed less than 90 minutes to beat the American 6-4 6-1 in Rome.

She will now face another American, seventh seed Sloane Stephens, in the second round.