- Bernard Tomic was beaten in three sets by Lorenzo Sonego in qualifying
- Australian set to miss out on home Grand Slam for first time since 2009
- World No 142 could still b awarded a lucky loser spot ahead of first round
Bernard Tomic is set to miss the Australian Open for the first time in a decade after failing to qualify for his home grand slam.
The 25-year-old has slumped to 142nd in the rankings and his frequently poor attitude meant he was not awarded a wild card by tournament organisers.
His only option was to try to fight his way through qualifying but, after winning two matches, he was beaten 6-1, 6-7, 6-4 by Italy’s Lorenzo Sonego in the final round.
Bernard Tomic is set to miss the Australian Open after failing to qualify for his home grand slam
He was beaten 6-1, 6-7, 6-4 by Italy’s Lorenzo Sonego in the final round of qualifying
Confronted by Australian media after the match, Tomic made another sarcastic quip about the amount of money he has earned.
‘I just count money, that’s all I do,’ he said. ‘I count my millions. You go do what I did (on court). Bye bye.’
Unless he is given a lucky loser spot, Tomic will sit out the tournament for the first time since he made his debut as a 16-year-old in 2009.
After a one-sided first set, Tomic at least fought and he saved one match point with a superb forehand down the line when his days looked to be numbered.
But another chance soon followed and Tomic, who hit a high of 17 in the world only two years ago, will now see his ranking fall further.
Tomic said afterwards: ‘I just count money, that’s all I do. I count my millions’