KYLE EDMUND will not be weighed down by the burden of expectation at this year's French Open.

The 23-year-old has been carrying British men's grand slam hopes for the best part of a year in the absence of the injured Andy Murray.

Edmund also finds himself seeded for the first time at a major tournament, while still basking in the glory of his thrilling run to the semi-finals of the Australian Open earlier this year.

But the down-to-earth Yorkshireman, who is up to 17th in the world, is taking his rise up the rankings firmly in his stride.

"I always have expectation on myself to do well," said the former Pocklington schoolboy ahead of his first match tomorrow.

"But of course when you are going up the rankings and you start to play guys more often lower ranked than you, it's just the way it works and there's more expectation to do well and win.

"It's natural, but I realise that, so it's just trying to focus on not letting that get in the way and playing good tennis as much as I can. It's finding that balance.

"But I've found since the Australian Open that has been the case - you want to do well yourself and build on that, but others want you to do well so I've had a few months of that I guess.

"It's just part of it, really. I wouldn't say it changes what I do in terms of my routine or process or how I go about things, but it's a positive in the fact that I'm going in the right direction.

"If you're going in the other direction you're not going to get talked about more, so it's only because of that reason that it's going in the right direction and things are positive."

The 16th seed begins his campaign against 19-year-old Australian Alex de Minaur, a player he beat earlier this month on the clay of Estoril.

"He competes very well, so he's the type of guy who makes you win your points," added Edmund. "He's not going to give them to you cheaply.

"In one way it's nice to know what you're going to get - but it's one thing doing it and executing the game plan."