Rise and fall of a tennis prodigy: Bernard Tomic goes from world No.17 to sad new tennis reality
The tennis life of Bernard Tomic
Bernard Tomic was one of the most exciting teenage tennis players and new Australian hopes to hit the scene in 2008.
So, where did it all go wrong?
Scroll on for the ups, downs and controversies that have littered Tomic's career timeline.
Prodigy signs huge deal
At just 14 years of age, Bernard Tomic signed the most lucrative sponsorship deal of any Nike athlete his age.
The deal is said to have been worth millions of dollars alongside others with Yonex, Optus and Qantas.
Tour debut
Bernard Tomic made his ATP Tour debut at the ATP 250 event in Brisbane in January 2009.
A week later he posted his first win in the opening-round at the Australian Open after defeating Italian world No.73 Potito Starace in four sets as a wildcard.
With the result, he became the youngest men's player to win a match at the Australian Open.
He finished 2009 with a year-end ranking of world No.286.
Encouraging junior career
Bernard Tomic peaked at No.2 in the ITF junior rankings on May 26 2008.
A promising young talent, Tomic is the youngest winner of the Australian Open boys' singles championship — having clinched the title as a 15-year-old in 2008.
Tomic wrapped up his junior career by claiming the 2009 US Open boys' singles title.
He finished his junior career with a 107-26 win-loss record after four years on the ITF Junior Circuit.
Miracle on grass
Bernard Tomic progressed to the quarter finals at Wimbledon in 2011, where he took on Novak Djokovic as an 18-year-old qualifier ranked outside the top 100.
With the feat, he became the youngest player to reach the quarters at the All England Club since Boris Becker in 1986.
He was also the youngest slam quarter-finalist since Michael Chang, 18, at Roland-Garros in 1990 and lowest-ranked since Alexander Popp, world No.198, at Wimbledon in 2003.
Tanking Tomic
Against Andy Roddick at the 2012 US Open, Bernard Tomic was lashing out against his controlling coach and father John, tanking his match.
Admitting he was struggling with the pressure of family and tennis, Tomic went down 6-4, 6-3, 6-0, much to mentor Pat Rafter's dismay.
"I told him, 'That was a disgrace'," Rafter told the Sydney Morning Herald in 2022.
First tour title
Bernard Tomic captures his first ATP 250 final after defeating Kevin Anderson in three sets in the final of the 2013 Sydney International.
Tomic's dad in hot water
Bernard Tomic's father and coach John faced assault charges against Tomic's former training partner Thomas Drouet (pictured right) in 2013.
John Tomic told a Madrid court he had acted in self-defence after a scuffle broke out in the car park of the players' hotel ahead of the Madrid Open.
Drouet sustained a broken nose, stitches to a cut above his eye and bruising to the back of his neck in the incident.
He was subsequently suspended from ATP events for 12 months.
In the fallout, Drouet told media that he had witnessed John Tomic assault his son during practice.
Injury setback
After retiring from his first-round match at the 2014 Australian Open, Bernard Tomic underwent double hip surgery.
He was sidelined for the three months.
Tomic dumped by management company
Bernard Tomic was dumped by global management company IMG in 2014 because of his troublesome off-court behaviour and fall in ranking.
It was reported that the agency terminated its lucrative contract with Tomic ahead of its expiration.
Tomic first signed with IMG as a 12-year-old, with the agency responsible for his high-profile sponsorship deals.
