Lleyton’s unsure on Bernie’s Open plan
DAVIS Cup captain Lleyton Hewitt has urged Bernard Tomic to take part in the Australian Open wildcard playoff that starts in Melbourne on Monday. But Hewitt remains unsure if the fallen star plans to enter or is even in the right mindset to do so.
Gold Coast star Tomic slumped to No.142 in the world after a horror 2017 that featured just 10 wins.
He does not have direct entry to January’s seasonopening grand slam after Hewitt and Tennis Australia head of performance Wally Masur overlooked him for a wildcard, instead handing one to Thanasi Kokkinakis.
“With the limited preparation (Tomic’s) had, with the lack of matches, I think it would be the right move to come down and play,” Hewitt told reporters yesterday.
“But I haven’t heard one way or the other.”
Australian Open tournament director Craig Tiley said Tomic’s entry to the wildcard playoff remained an ongoing conversation, but added there is still time for him to take up “an open invitation”.
Australian tennis great John Newcombe recently shared his concerns that an unfit Tomic is wasting his life.
Hewitt was more circumspect in his comments, but he does share similar concerns about Tomic’s desire to compete at the elite level.
“If he’s committed to the sport and he’s out there training and doing all the right things – the one percenters – then he’s fine,” Hewitt said.
“We all know how talented he is ... he’s just got to get that confidence back on the court.
“But if he’s not fully committed it’s not an easy sport just to go through (the motions) week in, week out.”
Hewitt has put Davis Cup charges Nick Kyrgios and Kokkinakis through an intensive training block in Melbourne over the past 10 days.