Bernard Tomic has always been a sports star known for being forthright with his opinions.
And on Monday night’s episode of I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here!, the tennis star made the sensational claim that he could have been a ‘top three player in the world’.
Despite being currently ranked at 143 – and his career ranking peaking at number 17 – the 25-year-old told ex-AFL player Josh Gibson in the South African jungle that wouldn’t have been the case if he was around ’10 years earlier’.
‘I would’ve been probably top three in the world’: Controversial tennis star Bernard Tomic spills on his biggest career regrets before begging to leave the I’m A Celeb jungle
The declaration came after Josh quizzed Bernard on whether he was happy with his achievements so far if he was to walk away from the game today.
Bernard responded ‘no’, explaining he had some regrets when it came to his tennis career.
‘If I had of played back 10 years ago, I would’ve been probably top three in the world,’ Bernard declared, adding he ‘could have been top five and won some slams’.
Seemingly annoyed by Bernard’s claim, Josh hit back, replying: ‘Exactly. Could have, would have, should have.’
‘Could have been top five and won some slams’: Despite being currently ranked at 143, Bernard seemingly annoyed fellow I’m A Celeb contestant Josh Gibson by saying he would have been ranked higher if he was in the game 10 years ago
Earlier in the night, The Project aired an interview with the controversial tennis player, in which Bernard also spoke about his career regrets with host Carrie Bickmore.
‘Do you wish you’d never got into tennis to start?’ asked Carrie, to which Benard replied: ‘Yeah, probably’.
‘The grind with everything and I mean taken, you know, 18 years already. It’s stressful, it’s not easy, it’s a big job,’ he added.
‘I don’t love tennis but I like it a lot and it’s something that I need to do and I need to do as best as I can.’
Bernard has caused controversy in the past for his remarks about his profession, including that he was ‘bored’ while playing and hinting to only taking part for the cash.
Regrets: In an interview with The Project’s Carrie Bickmore (right), Bernard admitted that he wished he’d never gotten into to tennis to start with
The ‘bad boy’ sports star has also previously claiming he was headed into the jungle to turn the public’s perception of him around.
However, just two days into his stint in South Africa, Bernard was begging to leave the competition after struggling with a Tucker Trial challenge which saw him grappling with an aerial obstacle course.
‘I am really sick. I am about to vomit, I am out, I am so sick,’ he said while still hanging from the ledge.
Revealing he’d ‘never felt so ill before’, he called out those famous words: ‘I’m a celebrity, get me out of here!’
Later he arrived back at the site and his teammates attempted to convince him to stay for another day – to which he said he’d consider the idea and sleep on it.
‘I’m a celebrity, get me out of here!’ After struggling with a Tucker Trial on day two of the Channel Ten show, Bernard sensationally tried to quit