Bernard Tomic shows he’s a changed man as Australian Open dream alive

Ten years on from when he was World No. 17 and bragged about being a millionaire, Tomic wowed the Melbourne Park crowd as he continues to do everything he can to once again line up in a grand slam.

But one could have been mistaken for thinking it was the first round of the Aussie Open instead of the first round of qualifying, as Tomic stormed past the 25th seed Hugo Dellien 6-3 6-3 in just over an hour on 1573 Arena in front of a raucous crowd.

The 33-year-old smashed 23 winners in his dominant display, sealing the match with a forehand winner.

But more so what it showed to the Aussie faithful, who chanted his name throughout, is that he has learnt from his past mistakes.

His display in the first round of qualifying showed patience, heart and still the same skill that saw him pinned as one of Australia’s greatest tennis prospects.

But it also showed fans his mindset is no longer the same, something those paying close attention to him in the past three years have seen.

At the end of August 2022, Tomic was a 29-year-old ranked 835 in the world, and completely off the radar.

It was as low as he had been since his initial rise after turning pro, and it was a point where many tennis players would have thrown in the towel. But not Tomic.

Having once bragged about “counting his millions” after a lacklustre performance in Australian Open qualifying in 2018, he has put in the hard yards grinding on the ITF Tour.

He has now climbed to 184 in the world, and a return to the top 100 is on the cards.

And the thing is, his rise up the ranks has come off pure grit and determination, the thing that seemed to be lacking when he burst onto the scene.

Last year, Tomic competed at a staggering 35 events on several continents, and even forewent an opportunity to secure a drought-breaking title, forfeiting so he could fly to the US to try and qualify for the US Open.

Just another example that he isn’t the man many fans remember him. And after his first round of qualifying triumph fans are taking notice.

“Wow this level from Bernard Tomic is insane,” one fan wrote on X.

“I (don’t) care what others think. I’m happy to have Bernard Tomic back in Australia whether it’s just for one round or not,” a second said.

“Tomic is in fine touch as he chases Open berth,” a third added.

When discussing his career resurgence last year, Tomic told the Changeover podcast that his goal is again to crack the top 100 and try to fulfil his potential, so he can one day retire without regret.

“Tennis has become part of my life ever since I was seven. Obviously, I had a dad that pushed me extremely hard, and that’s one of the reasons I got there, in a sense,” Tomic said last year.

“But when you look at this whole picture, now that I’m 32, it’s a purpose. It still gives me something to do. Without tennis, I don’t know what I would do.

“I’m sitting about 200 in the world, or whatever, and my goal is to be top 100, and then I can retire. It’s more of a statement, that sort of thing, so let’s see if I can do it.

“But the whole sort of sense you’ve got to find your purpose, something that gets you going now that you’re older, you want something to give. And it’s about tennis.

“It’s the only thing I’m good at. I’ve been good at it for almost three decades, so it gets me going. I can still play decent. I’m not in my prime like I was … but that’s why I’m challenging myself to get back there one more time. And then retire happy, guilt-free.”

Tomic will now face world No. 185 Arhur Fery in the second round as he attempts to make the main draw of the Australian Open for the first time since 2021.

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