Wimbledon star’s humbling exit at event after | Sports News

Bernard Tomic skilled a humiliating stumble during a Challenger event in Chicago, resulting in an surprising defeat towards world No. 424 Stefan Dostanic.

The Australian participant tripped over his own ft at match level and subsequently retired from the sport. Elsewhere in tennis, Ben Shelton gained the lads’s Canadian Open closing on Thursday, with Victoria Mboko beating Naomi Osaka within the girls’s event.

Tomic has been grinding away on the ATP Challenger circuit for a number of years now. The 32-year-old, who was as soon as a Wimbledon quarterfinalist and ranked as world No. 17, earned round $64,000 in prize money final yr, which is not an terrible lot for a skilled tennis participant.

As lately as 2023, he was ranked outdoors the highest 1,200. Despite this, Tomic is set to retire on his own phrases and continues to compete in lower-tier tournaments.

However, forward of a possible entry into U.S. Open qualifying, Tomic suffered a vital setback in Chicago. After successful a difficult first set 7-6, he was main 5-4 within the second set.

Tomic was at match level and appeared poised for a first-round victory. But whereas returning Dostanic’s serve, he inexplicably tripped over his own proper foot, falling flat on his back on the laborious courtroom together with his arms masking his face.

With Dostanic main 2-0 within the deciding set, Tomic selected to retire from the match, citing fatigue as the explanation for his withdrawal.

Following the subsequent rankings replace, Tomic is predicted to secure a spot on the earth’s prime 200. He is prone to take part within the qualifying rounds of the upcoming U.S. Open.

Tomic as soon as declared he had no ardour for tennis and even sparked controversy by stating he was “bored” during his 2017 Wimbledon marketing campaign. This admission got here six years after the four-time ATP champion achieved his sole Grand Slam quarterfinal look at the celebrated All England Club.

Yet in a June interview, Tomic revealed a totally different perspective: “Without tennis, I don’t know what I would do. I’m sitting about 200 in the world, or whatever, and my goal is to be top 100, and then I can retire. It’s more of a statement, that sort of thing, so let’s see if I can do it. It’s the only thing I’m good at.

“I’ve been good at it for nearly three a long time, so it will get me going. I can nonetheless play first rate. I’m not in my prime like I used to be, however that is why I’m difficult myself to get back there one more time. And then retire blissful and guilt-free.”