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maltatoday, SUNDAY, 4 SEPTEMBER 2016 53 Sport TENNIS Kyle Edmund books showdown with Djokovic in last 16 BRITON Kyle Edmund set up a US Open showdown with Novak Djokovic by beating John Isner to reach the fourth round of a Grand Slam for the first time. Edmund, 21, overcame the big- serving American and 20th seed 6-4 3-6 6-2 7-6 (7-5) in two hours and 43 minutes on Court Louis Armstrong. The world number 84 faces 2015 champion and top seed Djokovic today. Djokovic reached the last 16 when a second successive oppo- nent pulled out through injury at Flushing Meadows. Edmund joined fellow Briton Johanna Konta in reaching the fourth round while compatriots Andy Murray and Dan Evans will on Saturday seek to join them in the last 16. Earlier, Djokovic was gifted a path through to the next round after Mikhail Youzhny retired with a hamstring injury. This followed a walkover the Serb received after Jiri Vesely – who had beaten him in Monte Carlo – withdrew injured. Isner beat Edmund in straight sets at Roland Garros in their only previous encounter and, as Edmund said later, he learned from that. He has only played Djokovic once, as well, losing in Miami, and he hopes that defeat will also inform his best efforts today. "It's been a great tournament so far," Edmund said courtside in his understated way. "Maybe it wasn't the result you guys want- ed, but I want to thank everyone for supporting me. Playing John, your chances don't come very of- ten, so you've got to take them, get a racket on the ball, get the ball in court and hustle. I think I played well in the tie-break. I knew it was going to come out to one or two points. Djokovic will be a step up in class, but Edmund knows what to expect after losing to the Serb in Miami in March. Edmund had only won one Grand Slam match before this year – but in the space of eight months has turned into a man capable of winning vital Davis Cup matches and reaching the second week of a Grand Slam. He may also seek advice from Murray, his compatriot and mentor, who knows the 12-time major champion's game as well as anyone. "It's going to be a tough match. Playing the world number one is always going to be tough," Ed- mund said. "He's rightfully world number one. He's been very consistent at a high level. "I'll learn from what happened in Miami. Playing Isner at the French Open helped me to- night so maybe that will help me again." Britain's Kyle Edmund reached the last 16 of a grand slam for the first time BOXING FOOTBALL Chris Eubank Jr to be offered spot in WBA middleweight tournament BRITISH middleweight cham- pion Chris Eubank will be of- fered the chance to take part in a WBA tournament which would see the winner crowned as the organisation's No 1 mid- dleweight champion. The British champion will be watching with interest as Kell Brook steps up to his division for an audacious world title fight with Gennady Golovkin. Eubank Jr will defend his belt against Tommy Langford af- ter failing to agree a fight with Golovkin, but WBA president Gilberto Mendoza could offer the 26-year-old another route to a world title shot in a proposed ' box-off.' Golovkin, the WBA 'super' champion, will be ordered to take part in the tournament if he defeats Brook next week- end, and his likely opponent is WBA 'regular' champion Daniel Jacobs, who firstly defends the belt against Sergio Mora on 9 September. Eubank Jr would face the winner if he comes through a proposed fight with Alfonso Blanco, who holds the Brighton boxer's old WBA interim title. Chris Eubank Jr will be given another shot at winning the WBA title Former Premiership referee claims he was told to turn blind eye to controversial incidents FORMER Premier League referee Mark Halsey has made the stun- ning claim that he was instructed by his superiors to say he had not seen controversial incidents in matches. Halsey suggested during a Twit- ter conversation on Friday that Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) – the governing body for elite referees in England – instructed him to claim he hadn't seen flashpoints when he clearly had. It follows the debate over Sergio Aguero's elbow on Winston Reid during Manchester City's win over West Ham last weekend, which has led to the Argentine being handed a three-match suspension. Manchester City were understood to be appealing the ban because TV images showed referee Andre Mar- riner was close to the incident and appeared to be looking clearly at Aguero's tussle with West Ham de- fender Winston Reid. Premier League rules state no ret- rospective action can be taken if the incident was seen by the official at the time. But Halsey, in conversa- tion on Twitter, made the shocking claim he had been told by PGMOL to say he hadn't seen incidents that he had actually witnessed. "I have been in that situation," he wrote, "when I have seen an inci- dent and been told to say I haven't seen it." In a later reply, he said: 'To be fair to the FA... it's not them. It comes from within the PGMOL.' The PGMOL was formed in 2001 to improve refereeing standards and provides officials for across the Pre- mier League, Football League and FA competitions, receiving funding from all three bodies. Halsey's alarming claims, which may have helped sway the results of retrospective appeals, should cause concern throughout football. The comments were seized upon by the former Manchester United and England defender Gary Nev- ille, who tweeted: "Mark, I'd like to know who told you to say that! '@ FA and @Premierleague think you have a major issue on your hands." Former referee Mark Halsey may have opened a can of worms