KYLE Edmund finally won a match at Wimbledon at the fifth time of asking and admitted it had been a long time coming.

The 22-year-old world No 50, a first-round loser four times in both singles and doubles, won the battle of Britain against Alex Ward on Court Three.

Ward, who has slipped to 869th in the world rankings after a string of injuries and needed a wild card just to get into the qualifying competition, threatened to continue his fairytale – and prolong Edmund's agony – by winning the first set.

But Edmund, the British No 2, eventually imposed himself on his friend and compatriot and ran out a 4-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-1 winner.

The Yorkshireman said: "It's nice to just win in general. Especially, I guess, because you're British, it's the one tournament you want to do well in more than any other tournament.

"It's more from your heart, because as a kid you watch this sort of event. To actually say that I've won one now is nice to say.

"In terms of a professional tennis point of view, it's just one match, but it's definitely nice to do it – I've had enough losses."

Edmund was a big favourite to beat Ward but will be underdog in the next round against 15th seed Gael Monfils, a player he has never met before.

The Frenchman is someone Andy Murray knows well, having played him six times, and Edmund will try to seek some advice from the world No 1.

"Just from knowing him throughout the years, he's obviously a very good athlete, he moves well and makes a lot of balls," said Edmund.

"It will be tough. He's playing well. He's got good confidence. I'll possibly speak to Andy, as he's always very approachable.

"I have asked Andy some stuff before about opponents, so maybe if it works out, I will. But he has got a match tomorrow."

Ward, 27, ran out of steam after his bright start but can at least console himself with £35,000 in prize money.

He said: "I played a lot of matches for Wimbledon in pre-qualifying and qualifying, I was playing well and seeing the ball big, so the tactic was to go on it from the first point. But he got better and I didn't keep it up, really."

Meanwhile, James Ward is still waiting to kick-start his career after he bowed out of Wimbledon with a straight-sets defeat to Marcos Baghdatis.

The 30-year-old, who helped Great Britain to a memorable Davis Cup title in 2015, was playing just his fifth match since suffering a serious knee problem in September but went down 6-4, 6-4, 6-3 to Baghdatis on Court 18.

He has yet to win since that injury, with his ranking – once at 89 – slipping to 1,085, although his first-round fee of £35,000 more than doubles his year-to-date earnings.

British No 6 Brydan Klein kept his temper but lost his footing and his first-round match against Yuichi Sugita.

The fiery Australia-born 27-year-old, handed a wild-card invitation to Wimbledon, bowed out in straight sets to the world No 44.

Last month an outburst in which Klein seemed to call himself "stupid" effectively cost him his match against Sam Groth in Nottingham, after the umpire docked him a game.

Klein therefore minded his Ps and Qs on Court 16, even keeping his cool after a nasty fall saw him twist his knee which required lengthy treatment.

By that stage Sugita, who won his first ATP World Tour title in Turkey on Saturday, was already a set and a break to the good.

Klein was clearly struggling with the injury and won just one more game, with the Japanese player securing a 7-6, 6-3, 6-0 victory.

Great Britain's Katie Boulter came close to a shock debut victory at Wimbledon but ultimately came up short against American Christina McHale.

Boulter defied a gap of 178 places in the world rankings to lead by a set and then by a break in the decider, only for McHale to fight back and win 3-6, 7-5, 6-3.

Granted a wild card to make her first singles appearance in the main draw at the All England Club, Boulter will have been disappointed not to capitalise on what was a stirring opening performance.