LAST CHANCE FOR BERNIE
IT is fork in the road time for Bernard Tomic, surely.
The only thing to applaud about his limp, disinterested first round loss at Wimbledon — the world’s most prestigious tournament and one he has tended to shine at — was his honesty afterwards.
He could not have been much more candid about his lack of motivation. He admitted he was bored on court and it wasn’t the first time. Trophies and finals provided little to no satisfaction. Fourth round or first round, it was all the same to him. Aged just 24 but after almost ten years on tour, he seemed burned out.
This was a far cry from the 18-year-old Gold Coaster who six years ago stunned the world by winning his way into Wimbledon’s quarter-finals, the youngest player to do so since Boris Becker who went on to hoist the trophy there three times.
Having now baldly stated his funk to the world, will it prove a seminal moment or just see a continuation of his meandering career which affords a nice lifestyle but is one of unfulfilled potential?
Becker, the former coach of star Novak Djokovic - a regular Tomic hitting partner said the latter didn’t put in the work he should but on his day was among the best: “Maybe he needs a psychologist or close buddy telling him the truth.”
Critics were everywhere but there was sympathy for Tomic too.
Pal and Tennis Gold Coast president Mike Ford was right to point out a double standard with recent treatment of league and AFL stars having similar public meltdowns — and that is arguably what Tomic’s press conference yesterday was.
Team sports stars who have admitted to mental demons have been sheltered from the media, cloaked in club support and given time and space to heal.
Tennis isn’t so forgiving — it’s a relentless 11-month circuit, without the resources and camaraderie of a footy club to back up struggling team-mates.
If Tomic really is in the “dark place” Mr Ford believes he might be, then he too should be given the time and space he needs to reflect and recuperate mentally.
And hopefully he can come back wiser, smarter and — as former Gold Coast coach Geoff Masters put it — “give a good account of himself”.