French Open: Bernard Tomic blows golden chance against lucky loser

The Australian’s lack of fitness was exposed by a ‘lucky loser’ opponent ranked 190 during an agonising defeat.

Bernard Tomic earned an unlikely matchup with Marco Trungelliti.

Bernie Tomic could have returned to grand slam tennis with the knowing air of Leonard Cohen singing Hallelujah while wearing an impeccable grey suit and battered trilby hat in London. Oh people, I’ve been here before. I know this room and I’ve walked this floor …

The 25-year-old Australian has been playing majors for a decade but he’d lost in the first round of four of his last five majors as his ranking slumped to its staggering current position of World No. 208.

Only 18 months ago, he was the world No 17. His plummet could hardly have been more dramatic if he’d been sitting in his spa since late 2016, yet he fought his way through qualifying at the French Open, which was no mean feat, to reach a main-draw match not against Nick Kyrgios.

The withdrawal of his injured countryman meant he would play a lucky loser from qualifying and it ended up being a bloke called Marco Trungelliti, a World No. 190 from Argentina who was on holidays in Barcelona when he received the call to suit up against Tomic. He drove overnight for ten hours to Paris and made his way to Court 9 for the honour of beating Tomic 6-4 5-7 6-4 6-4.

It was a hell of a missed opportunity. Tomic would have fared better against the hit-and-miss Kyrgios. It was one of the more important matches of his career, really, because reaching the second round of a major would provide a tidy rankings boost ahead of his preferred grass court season.

Tomic during his first-round defeat. Picture: AP

But Trungelliti was a willing baseliner who overcame his need for a nap. His intentions were obvious from the outset. He would drop shot Tomic to death, trying to expose his inferior court movement. The skill and flair was at Tomic’s end. The grind was at the other. Tomic bombed out with his sixth first-round loss in Paris in nine attempts.

He was broken to love in the seventh game of the first set. World No.190s are World No. 190s for a reason - they don’t win too often - and Trungelliti played a horror game to give the break straight back. Tomic was groaning with effort. Putting in. Normally quiet on the court, he constantly pumped his fists and shouted, “Come on!” But he dropped serve again and the set was relinquished. He needed quick points. Trungelliti was keeping them long. Tomic made no real attempt to return the serve that Trungelliti hit at 5-4, 40-0, but it was a full and frank effort throughout the match.

He was in a spot of bother at 5-5, 30-30, but he crunched an ace down the T, smoked a forehand winner and ran through the next game to level at a set apiece. He appeared fit and fresh enough but fatigue arose in the third set. He became half-a-step slower as Trungelliti hit his straps. Having believed his French Open ended when he was beaten in qualifying last week, he was suddenly on the cusp of a berth in the second round.

After one of his more murderous drop shots, Tomic laughed and clapped. If the huffing and puffing Australian was to win, it would have to be in five sets. Unlikely. He was the one out of gas. Half-a-step slower became a full step off the pace.

Still, decent signs were shown by Tomic. At least he was walking the floor again. Trungelliti was playing with the hyperactive giddiness of the sleep-deprived. Tomic needed to make an authoritative start to the fourth set but instead, he lost his opening service game and that was all she wrote.

At his post match press conference, Tomic offered up a total of 64 words in response to 10 questions from an international tennis media eager to gain an insight into the mind of one of the sport’s most talented stars and biggest enigmas.

“Yeah, I guess I was OK,” Tomic said when asked if his gruelling run of seven wins on European clay had taken a toll on him physically in the two-hour, 54-minute defeat.

“Yeah, we’ll see. We’ll see what’s next,” when asked if he could take renewed confidence into his preferred grass-court season.

“It is what it is. That’s all I can say,” when quizzed about his attire, in a veiled reference to the former Wimbledon quarter-finalist losing sponsorships following his claim that he was “a little bit bored” during his first-round defeat at the All England Club last year.

When grilled about his desire, Tomic — who has readily admitted he has not given 100 per cent in plenty of matches throughout his turbulent career — was even more curt.

“Next question,” he said when asked “are you in this primarily for financial reasons or do you want to do other things?” The bitter postscript was a sad finale to what had been a promising campaign.

Having recorded a career-best seven straight victories on clay over the past three weeks, after being winless since January, Tomic could have departed Paris with optimism - and dignity.

Instead, his 64 words left most asking the $64 question: where next for the two-time former grand slam junior champion?

“I go home to Monaco and that’s it,” was Tomic’s plan, shedding no light on his grass-court plans.

The one-time Wimbledon quarter-finalist will take with him €40,000 — a much-needed boost to his dwindling bank account.

With AAP

Trungelliti celebrates a stunning result. Picture: AP