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Bernard Tomic has been bundled out of the French Open at Roland Garros, falling to a player ranked 25 places below him in a dogged performance that saw the best and worst of the oft-tormented Australian.
With a mid-match cry of “I hate this surface”, the world No.22 was edged out by rising Croatian teenager Borna Coric in four sets, 3-6 6-2 7-6(4) 7-6(6).
Watched on by Davis Cup captain Lleyton Hewitt and compatriot Nick Kyrgios, Tomic looked (for the most part) like a different player from the lackadaisical figure that turned up for his first round encounter against lowly ranked (No.662) Brian Baker.
There’s no doubt the switch in attitude would have come as a surprise to Australian tennis commentator Roger Rasheed, who lashed out at Tomic after his victory over the American journeyman.
“I don’t care whether it’s played on ice or on a bed of nails, when you step on the court you have to show passion,” Rasheed said on Sky Sports Radio. “When I’m looking at (Tomic play), I want to switch it off or watch a movie.”
However, if Rasheed had tuned in early, he would have seen Tomic start the match with a confident strut, not allowing the Croat to gain any traction. He kept the rallies short and raced out to a 3-0 lead before taking the first set in straightforward fashion.
Coric found a higher gear in the second set though, breaking early and showing exactly why pundits rate him as one of the most exciting youngsters in the world. While initially staying with him, Tomic then let the set quickly slip away.
The Australian went from disinterested to exhausted – at least in appearance – looking almost out of gas as he struggled to hang with the Croatian. But after letting two consecutive serves fly by him, Tomic called for the trainer complaining of dizziness, returning to court seemingly a new man and holding serve to love. It was Coric who eventually prevailed though, bullocking his way to take the crucial third set tiebreaker.
Following recent practice sessions with Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray, Tomic – despite some questionable clay court play – looked focused in the fourth set, earning himself a chance to take the match into a decider. The Croatian was having no part of it, though, and eventually sent the Australian home with a 60,000 Euro pay packet to add to his alleged and now infamous $10M stockpile.
After the match, Tomic was quick to fire back at Rasheed, saying “if you don’t have the passion to be out on these courts here, there’s no bother playing it.
“Today I was fighting as much as I can and I know I’m not that good on clay. It was a quality match and it’s just a shame that I lost.”
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