Bernard Tomic is “bored” with tennis, which is tennis sacrilege, writes Leo Schlink

BERNARD Tomic admitted to being “bored” during his first-round Wimbledon loss. LEO SCHLINK and JON ANDERSON give their view on the Aussie. HAVE YOUR SAY

Australia's Bernard Tomic isn’t motivated. Picture: AP

TENNIS fans have woken to news of Bernard Tomic admitting to being “bored” during his first-round Wimbledon loss.

But are we wrong to judge the Aussie for his view on his tennis career?

CHARGE? TOMIC IN STRIFE OVER FAKING INJURY

Herald Sun tennis expert Leo Schlink, in London for Wimbledon, and Jon Anderson have their say on the 24-year-old’s latest on-court exploits.

SCROLL DOWN TO VOTE and HAVE YOUR SAY

Bernard Tomic: “My main focus is to play as much as I can until (I’m) 32, 33 and after that, you know, enjoy life.” Picture: AFP

LEO SCHLINK — TOMIC COMMITTED TENNIS ‘SACRILEGE’

OF all nadirs Bernard Tomic has suffered in a tumultuous career, Wimbledon 2017 represents the low watermark.

At 24, Tomic’s contention he is bored is not so much concerning as predictable, grating and sad.

The Queenslander’s penchant for the fast lane is the stuff of legend — and ridicule — among peers.

What resonated most from Tomic’s rambling and instructive post-match debrief was the fact he lacked motivation while playing Wimbledon.

In pure tennis terms, that is sacrilege.

Just as worse, he has no solution for the malady.

Thanasi Kokkinakis is not alone in the view that Tomic is a top-five talent.

If that is the case, it is also true — as Tomic confessed himself — that his flickering application is more akin to a player ranked closer to No 2000 than No 20.

Tomic is mired in the doldrums.

Ranked 59th in the world, his nine wins this season have yielded more than $400,000 in prizemoney.

While that’s small change to Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic, Monte Carlo-based Tomic has, on the surface, no need to ever fret about money again.

And that’s part of the problem.

As he said after a pitiful performance against Mischa Zverev, he will potentially play for another 10 years and never have to work again.

He knows he is so gifted that, even with wavering commitment, he will be financially successful.

Revealing competition is not so much a spur as onerous, Tomic does not need to bother with complete fitness either.

To watch Rafael Nadal on the practice court is to observe a totally driven character. Every session means something, every opportunity is prized.

Not so with Tomic.

Whether it is off-court excess or on-court sloth, the end result is a waste.

There are players in the top 20 with less ability in their entire bodies than Tomic has in his racquet arm.

But there is no way he ever fulfil the talent he was born with unless his attitude changes completely.

Sadly, there is no imperative to do so.

Mid-career, with millions in the bank and a cosseted lifestyle, there is no compulsion to change.

The best thing he could do is take a break and honestly assess what he’s capable of achieving — and ditch the cruise mode that sets him apart from his peers.

JON ANDERSON — AT LEAST ‘ROLLED-GOLD BOGAN’ IS HONEST

FOR all his foibles, and most are as prominent as one of his ghastly-coloured sports cars, none of us can deny Bernard Tomic’s honesty.

Yep, he tells it just like it is, does Dear Old Bernie, from not giving a continental about losing a first-round match at Wimbledon to whether he plays Davis Cup for his country or not.

It’s an attitude that flies in the face of many of us who would have given plenty to be extremely well paid for playing sport. That someone chooses not to obviously cherish that opportunity doesn’t sit well.

But you know what, ultimately it’s his choice, however unpalatable it may be? And he’s lucky enough to go to work in an environment that allows him to be extremely well paid whether he tries or not.

That he’s a rolled-gold bogan doesn’t really come into the equation, for he can act as he likes off the court so long as he doesn’t break any laws. And on that point, generally his on-court behaviour has been fair, or certainly no worse than that of Lleyton Hewitt in his early days.

As he stated after his Wimbledon loss, he will play a sport that clearly bores him for the next decade, earn enough money and never work again.

He’s probably right, although I’m not too sure how long his sponsors will support him if he continues to go down the “after-match honesty” path. My choice is to never watch him play, because if he doesn’t care, then nor do I. But that’s my choice, just as it’s his as to how hard he tries.

If only he could apply that off-court honesty to his on-court efforts. But as they say, the Lord moves in mysterious ways, and privileging a kid (who couldn’t give a stuff) with a rare God-given gift is right up there with the more mysterious.