Tomic to play U.S. Open: report

MELBOURNE: Bernard Tomic is set to return to tennis at the U.S. Open, ending an extended absence from the game that has seen the Australian’s world ranking plummet to 146, local media reported.

The 24-year-old, once touted a future top 10 player, has not played since Wimbledon where he caused an uproar by declaring himself “bored” with the game after a listless first round defeat to Mischa Zverev.

He sparked further condemnation last month when he told Australian television that he was only in tennis for the money and had won plenty of it even without trying hard.

Tomic’s manager told Melbourne’s that he would play in the grand slam at Flushing Meadows and had also entered tournaments in each of the last six weeks of the ATP season.

“He is playing the U.S. Open,” Tomic’s manager Matthew Fawcett said.

“Following that he is planning to play Chengdu, Tokyo, Shang- hai, Antwerp or Stockholm or Moscow, Vienna and Paris.”

The U.S. Open opens begins on August 28 in New York.

Tomic has withdrawn from his last four tournaments, pushing his ranking to depths that will require him to battle on lower-tier tours or beg for wildcards from tournament organisers next year.

His top 30 ranking at the end of last year guarantees him slots at the ATP 500 in Tokyo and Vienna.