Bernard Tomic’s vibrant and record-setting 15-year Australian Open streak is over after the fallen star was neglected for a qualifying wildcard.
Languishing at No.462 within the rankings, however nonetheless very a lot lively on courtroom, the one-time world No.17 has been a fixture on the Melbourne Park grand slam each January since 2008.
But he will not be round when qualifying begins on Monday after Tennis Australia opted for youth and promise over 30-year-old Tomic’s expertise and credentials when issuing seven wildcards to fellow Australians.
Despite his spectacular fall from grace, Tomic continues to be ranked increased than 4 of the wildcard recipients, together with 18-year-old world No.1017 Derek Pham.
But the previous prodigy and two-time grand slam junior champion is seven years senior to oldest wildcard recipient Adam Walton, the world No.432.
Four of the seven wildcard entrants are thrilling teenage skills.
While it is understood Tomic didn’t search a wildcard, the 2011 Wimbledon quarter-finalist might nonetheless have been supplied one.
But that was impossible after Tomic fell out with TA and launched a blistering assault on Davis Cup captain and former shut ally Lleyton Hewitt, one of many key wildcard judges.
“No one likes him any more,” Tomic mentioned after a first-round Open exit in 2019.
“We have a lot of issues that not a lot of players are happy about. We all know who those players are. Myself, (Thanasi) Kokkinakis, (Nick) Kyrgios.”
Kyrgios accused Tomic of throwing him below a bus along with his explosive outburst however has since endured his personal strained relationship with Hewitt and skipped Davis Cup for the previous three years.
If Tomic fails to elevate his rating and by no means performs one other Australian Open, it will likely be a tragic finish to a considerably storied profession at his dwelling slam.
He was the youngest participant to win the junior Australian Open, at 15 years and three months in 2007.
The following 12 months, Tomic saved match factors in opposition to Italian Potito Starace to change into the youngest male in historical past to win a main-draw match on the Open.
Australia’s Davis Cup spearhead for a number of years whereas carving out a formidable 19-4 file within the workforce competitors, Tomic additionally loved a string of tremendous outcomes at Melbourne Park.
He reached the final 16 thrice and made the third spherical on three different events, having promising runs ended twice every by legends Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.
Tomic hasn’t been so profitable lately, solely making the principle draw twice since 2015.
In 2021, he was the one profitable qualifier out of 20 Australian hopefuls earlier than making the second spherical.
Tomic additionally deserves credit score for persevering with to soldier away at low-level occasions in North, Central and South America.
He performed 38 matches in 2022, together with 24 within the final 4 months of the season, successful titles in Santo Domingo and Cancun and shedding a closing in Harlington, Texas.
But he solely pocketed a measly $US35,732 ($A51,900) for his toils, together with simply $US2160 ($A3140) for his newest event success in November, a far cry from the times when he advised a TV journalist he was “counting my millions’ after a third-round Australian Open qualifying defeat in 2018.
Had he been awarded a wildcard into Open qualifying this year, Tomic would have been guaranteed a $26,000 pay day.
If he’d made the principle draw for a twelfth time, he would have banked at the very least $106,250.
