Bernard Tomic’s prospects of another deep Australian Open run have suffered a major blow, with the former Davis Cup star withdrawing from the Melbourne Summer Series.
Tomic was to have played fellow Australian Marc Polmans in the first round of the Murray River Open on Monday night but pulled the pin, citing an unspecified injury.
The one-time Wimbledon quarterfinalist posted three gruelling wins in the Middle East heat last month to be the only one of 20 Australian hopefuls to successfully qualify for the Open in Doha.
But two weeks in Tennis Australia’s Melbourne Park quarantine training bubble seemingly haven’t helped Tomic to sufficiently prepare for his only Open warm-up event.
Now ranked 229th, the one-time world No. 17 has a big opportunity to climb back into the top 150 with a decent showing at the season’s first Grand Slam starting next week.
Tomic, who has made the last 16 of his home major three times, has no rankings points to defend after bombing out in the first round of qualifying last year.
Tomic’s scratching also cruels any chance of a spicy second-round Murray Open showdown with countryman Nick Kyrgios.
Harry Bouchier has replaced Tomic in the Murray Open draw, meaning Polmans’ match still an all-Australian affair.