Bernard Tomic attributes his mental health struggles over the past few years to the solitary nature of tennis. Despite this, he remains hopeful that he can have a successful couple of seasons and regain his previous level of play. Tomic, who began his professional career in 2008 after a successful junior career, was once considered a potential Grand Slam champion and world No. 1. However, his motivation and commitment to the sport have been questioned, leading to a decline in his performance. Although he has won a few ATP titles and reached a career-high ranking of No. 17 at the age of 23, many believe he could have achieved much more.
Tomic’s decline became evident around the 2017 season when it became clear that he was struggling with motivation. In 2018, while appearing on the reality TV show “I’m A Celebrity … Get Me Out of Here,” Tomic openly admitted to battling depression. He explained that tennis is a mentally challenging and isolating sport, contrasting it with team sports like soccer or basketball. The constant travel and time spent alone can take a toll on one’s mental well-being. Tomic experienced this firsthand after years of traveling at a young age, but he has managed to turn things around and improve his mental state. He emphasizes the importance of finding ways to feel mentally good and knowing when to recharge.
Despite his struggles, Tomic has made progress in recent years. In a recent tournament, the Bengaluru Challenger, he climbed six spots in the ATP rankings to No. 267 in the world. While this is still far from his career-high ranking, Tomic believes that a return to the top 100 is possible. He acknowledges that he missed a lot of tennis and his physical fitness declined during a three-year period of reduced play. However, he feels that he is now playing well and believes that his style of play, which conserves energy, gives him an advantage. Tomic is optimistic about the next couple of years and aims to reach the top 100 or even the top 50, as long as he stays healthy and continues to practice.
Currently competing in the Pune Challenger after participating in tournaments in Chennai and Bengaluru, Tomic won his qualifying match against Aditya Vishal Balsekar and is one win away from making the Pune main draw. A strong performance in Pune would not only improve his ranking but also boost his confidence and belief in his ability to return to his previous form.
According to the Source tennisworldusa.org