Tomic withdraws from Australian Open tune-up, citing knee injury
Bernard Tomic has withdrawn from the Murray River Open citing a knee injury and now appears likely to start the Australian Open next week with no match practice.
Tomic was set to face Australian compatriot Marc Polmans on Monday night in a first-round clash but was replaced by Harry Bourchier.
The 28-year-old Tomic’s call to withdraw from the grand slam tune-up was a surprise to some after he posted a video of himself playing basketball to Instagram earlier in the day, with the caption “Ball or tennis?”
Tomic potentially could have faced another compatriot, Nick Kyrgios, in the second round of the Murray River Open if both players had won their opening round matches.
Kyrgios, who is set to face Frenchman Alexandre Muller on Tuesday, last month took a cheeky shot at Tomic’s girlfriend, Vanessa Sierra, after she posted videos of the couple’s experience in mandatory hotel quarantine online.
“...I don’t mind Bernie but his Mrs obviously has no perspective, ridiculous scenes,” Kyrgios tweeted in response to the reactions from some Australian Open players and their entourages about quarantine.
Tomic, the world No.228, is set to start the Australian Open after beating John-Patrick Smith in his third and final qualifying match in the Middle East.
His last-minute withdrawal comes after world No.1 Novak Djokovic’s bizarre decision to pull out of an Adelaide exhibition match, only to replace his replacement on court after the first set late last month.