Australian Open 2018: Bernard Tomic smashes Vincent Millot to reach second round of qualifying

IT was quick, brutal and hopelessly lopsided but it was Bernard Tomic who inflicted grand slam pain to reach the second round of Australian Open qualifying.

Bernard Tomic cruised past Vincent Millot. (Photo by Robert Prezioso/Getty Images)

IT was quick, brutal and hopelessly lopsided but, in a reversal of miserable 2017 fortunes, it was Bernard Tomic who inflicted grand slam pain to reach the second round of Australian Open qualifying.

The Queenslander monstered outclassed Frenchman Vincent Millot 6-1 6-3 in just 48 minutes in a performance which both drew praise and raised questions.

Former world No.4 Jelena Dokic urged Tomic to bring greater intensity to his second-round clash against either American Tommy Paul or Slovenian Blaz Rola.

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Bernard Tomic cruised past Vincent Millot. (Photo by Robert Prezioso/Getty Images)

“He (Tomic) wasn’t pushed and did enough out there but I’d like to see him have more intensity and aggression,” Dokic said.

“This is not the type of tennis you want to be playing in the next round or the final round or in the main draw.

“Tomic is not really pushing him (Millot) that much or being aggressive.

“His opponent hasn’t put him under pressure, he should be a lot more aggressive.

“I’d like to see a bit more intensity and better footwork because as you go along each match gets harder and harder.”

Desperate to avoid long, attritional matches, Tomic got precisely what he wanted. He roared through the first set against error-prone Millot in 15 minutes.

The second set, lasting 33 minutes, was only marginally tougher.

Tomic, 25, hadn’t won a grand slam match — main draw or qualifying — since he reached the third round at Melbourne Park last year.

Despite a compromised preparation for the clash with Millot, he was clearly superior to the diminutive Frenchman.