Your opening match at Wimbledon is something that everyone look forward to. Some may even call it the most anticipated match of the calendar year, as players prepare themselves to be in peak condition for the prestigious tennis tournament.
But that did not seem the case with Bernard Tomic, as he embarrassingly lost 4-6, 3-6, 4-6 to Mischa Zverev. The Australian even admitted to feeling bored during the match, something that has enraged tennis players past and present.
“You’re an embarrassment to yourself, and not only to the sport but to Australian tennis,” said Australian great Rennae Stubbs.
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“It’s disrespectful to the sport and disrespectful to the history of the sport. If you can’t get motivated at Wimbledon it’s time to find another job. The spectators paid good money to come here and watch Wimbledon and the guy shows up and doesn’t try, he can’t be bothered. Just stay at home,” said Martina Navratilova.
Leading Aussie tennis coach, Roger Rasheed, went further with his comments. “I don’t know where it [support] is going to come from, to be honest. You’d like to help the kid, as a person, just to talk to him to see what he’s interested in doing as a passion and try to work with that.”
This is what Tomic himself had to say about his disappointing performance,
“I don’t know why, but I felt a little bit bored out there, to be completely honest with you.
“So I feel holding a trophy or doing well, it doesn’t satisfy me anymore. It’s not there. I couldn’t care less if I make a fourth-round US Open or I lose first round. To me, everything is the same. I’m going to play another 10 years, and I know after my career I won’t have to work again.”
