Tomic boasts of 'amazing' achievements without trying hard

MELBOURNE - Under-fire Australian tennis player Bernard Tomic has boasted of his "amazing" achievements in the sport and winning millions of dollars in prize money despite not really trying hard throughout his career.

In a candid interview with Australian broadcaster The Seven Network, the 24-year-old also said he had no regrets about his Wimbledon admission of being 'bored' during his first round defeat, comments that cost him a steep fine and his sponsorship with racket manufacturer Head.

Throughout my career I’ve given 100 percent. I’ve given also 30 percent," Tomic said in the television interview from Miami.

"But if you balance it out, I think all my career’s been around 50 percent and I haven’t really tried and I’ve achieved all this,” Tomic said.

"So it’s just amazing what I’ve done.

“I never loved tennis. I am just going to go about it as a job.


“Wouldn't anyone want to take a job in a professional sport in one of the biggest sports in the world and only give 50, 60 percent and earn millions of dollars? I think everybody would take that.”

Once touted as a potential grand slam champion and a top 10 player, Tomic's ranking has slid to 73 from a career-high of 17 at the start of 2016.

After a listless 6-3 6-4 6-3 defeat by Germany's Mischa Zverev at Wimbledon, Tomic said he felt a "little bored" on the court and had suffered from a lack of motivation for two years.

The comments drew condemnation from former players and pundits across the globe.

"I don't regret what I said," he said.

"At the end of the day, it might sort of look bad ... and we Australians don’t like that.

“I’m an honest person and say what I feel. Expressing how I feel, and showing emotion in a different way ... they don’t like it,” he said of his detractors.

Tomic has won over $5 million in prize money on the ATP circuit and owns properties around the world but said he felt a prisoner in his career.

"My position, I am trapped. I have to do it,” he said.

“Not many things can make me super happy,” Tomic added. “If I ever get the chance to win a grand slam, I think only then will I feel the feeling of being really, really happy."

(Writing by Ian Ransom; Editing by Peter Rutherford)

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Murray continues run, to face Raonic in Cincinnati

Andy Murray continued his golden run on Friday with a 6-4 6-4 victory over Australia's Bernard Tomic to move into the semi-finals of the Western & Southern Open in Cincinnati.

The world number two pushed through the fatigue of an arduous schedule and overcame a 4-3 deficit in the second set where he won the final three games to continue his spectacular run, that has included his second Wimbledon crown and defence of his Olympics singles title.

"I think the conditions here help a little," Murray said.

"It's pretty quick and there are not a lot of long rallies. That helped me tonight. I played the big points well and that was the difference. That comes from winning big matches and making better decisions."

Murray was last defeated by Novak Djokovic in the French Open final in June and will now meet Milos Raonic in the semi-finals after the big-serving Canadian beat Austrian eighth seed Dominic Thiem.

Raonic lost to Murray in the Wimbledon final.

"He's got one of the biggest serves in the game," Murray said. "I'll need to (return) well if I want to win."

Raonic unleashed 17 aces and did not face a break point during the 68-minute match that put him within two wins of his first ATP World Tour Masters 1000 title.

"I've practiced with him many times, so to some extent I have an understanding of his game, like he has of mine," Raonic told the ATP Tour website.

"But it's different come match time, so I did a little bit of studying. I feel like I took that all in and adapted well."

Raonic skipped the Olympics and instead spent time with coach John McEnroe and the two discussed the disappointment of losing to Murray in his first career grand slam final appearance.

"There were some very prolonged discussions about how I can make a difference on that (mental) part," Raonic told ESPN.

"There were certain moments when I was in the (Wimbledon final) and I thought I was really putting out all the intensity mentally. He (McEnroe) told me he felt I missed a few important moments where I could have showed some intensity. I re-watched the match and saw seven key moments.

"If I want to make the steps forward in the big tournaments, that's going to make the biggest difference."

In other quarter-final action, Croatian 12th seed Marin Cilic advanced when compatriot Borna Coric retired with a knee injury after dropping the first set 6-2 while unseeded Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov beat American Steve Johnson 7-6(8) 6-2. (Reporting by Andrew Both in Cary, North Carolina and Jahmal Corner in Los Angeles; Editing by Frank Pingue/Greg Stutchbury)

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

TENNIS: Rio a prime goal for Serena on her return to competition

Having played just one tournament since mid-September due to various injuries and a recent bout of flu, Serena Williams is now itching to get back into competition with the Rio Olympics among her top priorities for the year.

The American world number one has not competed since her stunning loss to Germany's Angelique Kerber in the Australian Open final in January, and says she has learned lessons from that defeat which she will use to her advantage.

"Whenever I lose, it definitely motivates me to do better," Williams, 34, said on a conference call on Thursday to promote her exhibition match with good friend Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark in New York next week.

"There's a lot from that match (in Australia) that I feel like I can improve on and do a lot better. Hopefully I will achieve that this year."

Asked if she felt fully rested after her limited playing time since mid-September, Williams replied: "Oh yeah. I was ready to go in Australia and I will be ready to go today and tomorrow, and I'll definitely be ready to go on Tuesday."

Williams, who will face Wozniacki in the BNP Paribas Showdown at Madison Square Garden in New York on Tuesday, has already won Olympic gold four times, once in the singles and on three occasions in the doubles.

Success in Rio counts among her biggest goals for this year.

"Tennis players never really thought about winning the Olympics, you grew up thinking about winning grand slams but now, with tennis in the Olympics, of course you think about it," Williams said.

"The Olympics have had such a big impact on everyone. It (the August Games) will probably affect my schedule a little bit and I probably won't be playing as much because I will be in Rio. I am really looking forward to it."

Tomic hits back for Australia after Isner win

Bernard Tomic ground down Jack Sock 7-6(2) 6-3 3-6 6-4 to level Australia's Davis Cup first round tie with the United States at 1-1 in Melbourne on Friday.

The rangy world number 20 hit back for the hosts after John Isner wrapped up the opening singles against Sam Groth 7-6(2) 6-2 6-2 on a sweltering day at Kooyong Lawn Tennis Club.

Flourishing on the grass court installed specially for the World Group encounter, Tomic was cruising toward a comfortable victory before a lapse of concentration led to an early break in the third set.

World number 24 Sock held firm to take the match into a fourth but also dropped his level in the heat and Tomic captured the decisive break in the ninth game.

The Australian raised three match points with an imperious forehand winner and sealed the contest when Sock clubbed a backhand long.

"Bernie stepped up. It's never easy after going down 1-0," Australia team captain Lleyton Hewitt said courtside.

Isner and Groth's match was a battle of big servers but the 11th-ranked American returned with fury during his emphatic win.

"It was a very, very good performance for me and certainly I've played some matches... where I've struggled on return but I think today I was pretty solid," Isner said.

Groth was named to play the doubles with John Peers against the Bryan brothers in Thursday's draw.

But former world number one Hewitt, who replaced Nick Kyrgios after his withdrawal with a virus, could also play, despite retiring at the Australian Open six weeks ago.

"We'll wait and see... we'll put the best team out there," the 35-year-old said.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com