Tomic too talented for this: Kokkinakis
THANASI Kokkinakis hopes Bernard Tomic can find a solution to a mid-career crisis, declaring the Gold Coaster is too talented not to be a high achiever.
Tomic is under ferocious scrutiny after a timid Wimbledon surrender and the dubious use of a medical time-out to stall opponent Mischa Zverev.
Told Tomic admitted being bored and burnt out at the cradle of tennis, fellow Australian Kokkinakis said: “It’s crazy he’s 24 because he was been around so long.
“He was so good young. I think personally he’s like a top-five talent in the world.
“It’s tough for him. There is a lot of pressure on him obviously. He came up being so good.
“Hopefully he can get it together because he’s a really good player, especially when he’s switched on. He’s so skilful.”
For the first time since 2012 – and only the second time since 1938 – Wimbledon’s third-most successful nation will not have a man into second-round singles.
Grand slam supervisors are also looking at a transcript of Tomic’s extraordinary post-match interview, where he revealed he wasn’t injured.
Asked why he called for the trainer, Tomic said: “I just thought I’d try to break a bit of momentum, to use that as my strategy, because I was just playing very bad and feeling bad out there.
“I tried to use something different maybe, slow him down a bit on the serve.”
Tomic pocketed $64,000 in 84 minutes, earning over $900 for each of the 71 points he won in a straight-sets loss to Zverev.
In a rambling dissertation, he revealed he had no respect for the sport and was “mentally not there.”
Zverev, who beat Andy Murray at the Australian Open, was stunned by Tomic’s listless showing on the court.
“Well, I thought it was going to be a complicated match because I played him a couple days ago in Eastbourne,” the German said.
In a candid and brutal self-appraisal, Tomic pondered whether he would ever muster the motivation to fulfil his talent.