Legend's bizarre nod to Aussie wild child

1 year ago 39

Tennis fans crossed the satellite person been near scratching their heads aft it emerged Venus Williams had listed Australian wild-child Bernard Tomic arsenic 1 of her favourite players.

Every existent and erstwhile subordinate connected the WTA circuit has a illustration and abbreviated biography connected the website.

On hers, Williams listed Pete Sampras, Boris Becker and Monica Seles arsenic her favourite players she grew up watching.

Her favourite players of the modern crippled see her sister Serena, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Gael Monflis … and Tomic.

The 30-year-old Aussie took to Instagram aft Williams' biography re-emerged, saying it was "such an honour".

Tomic is presently backmost connected the emergence backmost up the satellite rankings, and is presently No.435 aft being extracurricular the top-800 past August.

He past won 3 Futures tournaments and mislaid a last to decorativeness his 2022.

Tomic was overlooked by Tennis Australia for an Australian Open wildcard, contempt successful mentation being eligible.

"It's our show squad that look astatine the determination of wildcards," AO tourney manager Craig Tiley said.

"What it goes into is the subordinate coming in, oregon the spot of their play, however they've been playing, what events they've been playing, however overmuch they've been playing. Are they the younger portion of our aboriginal generation, the younger players?

"There's galore factors that spell into it and it's not a speedy determination they spell through. One happening that's large - we've got a caller problem, and we've got a batch much Australian players than we've had earlier to take from, and that's a great, large occupation to have."

But Tomic was amazingly stoic successful his effect to the snub, telling SEN's The First Serve podcast helium wasn't "expecting immoderate favours".

"I'm going to beryllium my constituent and gain my way," helium said.

"I recognize Tennis Australia has made its decision. It's bully to spot the young tennis players getting an opportunity.

"I'm astatine a spot successful my beingness wherever I don't kick anymore. I'm focused and I've been grooming hard. I'll fto my tennis bash the talking.

"Last 4th of 2022, I won 3 tournaments and made 4 finals. This twelvemonth is my year. If nary 1 is going to assistance enactment me, I'll get backmost to apical 100 connected my own.

"My caput abstraction is precise different. I'm successful a affirmative environment, bully radical astir me, I'm successful a healthy, blessed relationship. Now each determination is to do, is get backmost to wherever I belong."

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