What do you think of Bernard Tomic?

[TsarMatt]

I have been following the Nard Dog since his days on the junior circuit. His breakout was obviously his Wimbledon '11 run where he made the QF and managed to snatch a set off prime Djokovic. Since then, he really hasn't accomplished all that much besides winning Sydney last year (his first ATP title) and also making the 4th round of Wimbledon in '13 and once at the AO (in '12, I believe). I mean, those are some pretty good accomplishments on one level, but we all expected more from Bernie, presumably. Anyway, his short career has been plagued by nothing but controversy. Some of it being warranted, other times not in the least. For example, a lot of Nardy's inconsistency and 'lack of effort' problems derive from the complex relations with his father, who, in all honesty, is a real tough bastard. He has abused Tomic (physically and mentally) on numerous occasions, and, of course, was taken to court last year after headbutting Bernie's hitting partner and making him unconscious. The hitting partner actually composed a diary of working with Tomic and his crew throughout an ATP calendar year and he described it like a living hell. Some of the stuff he wrote was pretty full-on. I'd recommend everyone give it a read for some compelling insight. Here ya go!

Anyway, how do you view the Nard Dog? I consider myself a huge fan (always have) but man, he pisses me off sometimes, especially his shitty performances overseas, particularly in the 250 and 500 events. As I said, some of it stems from his abusive dad who really seems to discourage Tomic, but the bloke has a lot of natural talent and seldom utilises it. He is often careless and inattentive. He's still young but he needs to get his act together. Every year is the same story - he starts off well down under talking about he has regrouped and feeling all rejuvenated and then he just loses focus and does shit all until Wimbledon. He makes fallacious promises and only tries when he feels like it.

Tomic currently has sponsorship deals through the roof (not to mention being the highest funded player by Tennis Australia ever; they've invested a lot of time in him), so if he doesn't get his act together soon he could start seeing a drop in deals much like that yank Donald Young did. Also, with the rise of the Special K's in Aussie tennis (Kyrgios and Kokkinakis), the attention might start drifting away from him as "Australia's only tennis hope". Maybe this is a good thing? Maybe this can be a source of drive for him? After all, he has been rather spoilt in his life, especially by Tennis Australia who have granted every wish Team Tomic has asked (see, this is what happens when Aussie tennis has a grim future).

He is currently injured and will be having hip surgery after retiring injured against Nadal at this years AO (you should have seen how much flack he copped on his own personal Facebook page; hilarious), so I don't expect to see him for at least a few months on tour, but '14, especially the second half of the year, should tell us if Bernie is bullshitting us again or if he is genuinely trying to improve. No point playing well for just twice a year - he needs consistency and drive. Hopefully this new coach is going to have an instrumental effect on his game. The bigger question, however, is much control his dad has got behind the curtain. I'd assume a lot. In fact, he probably still is the head coach, albeit not "officially".

So, your two cents on Bernie? Misunderstood bloke or just a spoilt little brat who honestly does not care about tennis and would rather be partying and getting laid?

 

[DarthFed]

RE: What do you think Bernard Tomic?

I will keep it simple, I think it is the latter of your final sentence. I just don't think he cares enough and maybe his father has killed some of the enjoyment of the game and/or his ambition. But one of the matches that really shows the problem is the one vs. Roddick in 2012 at the US Open. Andy had already announced it'd be his last tournament and it looked like Tomic just gave up by the middle of the 2nd set. It was a good opportunity to get to the 3rd or 4th round at least and also gain some notoriety as being the guy who sent Roddick to retirement.

If the guy ever starts caring and gets even decent footwork (which would probably be easy if he cared) then he could still become a very good player.

 

[El Dude]

RE: What do you think Bernard Tomic?

I hate to say it, but I'd start switching your attention to Nick Kyrgios. I don't know if Tomic has the game or mentality to be a champion. I could see him ending up somewhere in the Nishikori-Dolgopolov range. If all breaks right, he could have his time in the #10-15 range, but its hard to imagine more than that.

A couple years ago he looked like a Baby Djokovic. But there's been no development since then, no movement up on the rankings or in his visible game. I still think he has a shot to actualize some of that potential, but its worrisome that he's essentially the same player now, at 21, that he was at 18-19.

 

[Murat Baslamisli]

RE: What do you think Bernard Tomic?

No one that young , playing pro tennis, should have such weak legs as Tomic. That is lack of commitment, pure and simple. When he first started coming on the scene, I was a bit excited, but it wore off quickly. The whole father thing, the playboy stuff...Hey, he might turn it around and become someone, but I am not holding my breath. To me, he is the Beiber of tennis.

 

[El Dude]

RE: What do you think Bernard Tomic?

Another comp might be Ernests Gulbis.

 

[brokenshoelace]

RE: What do you think Bernard Tomic?

Without going into all that is wrong with his attitude/game/whatever, I'll point out one obvious thing:

His movement isn't good enough to be among the elite.

 

[Asmodeus]

RE: What do you think Bernard Tomic?

What do I think of Tomic? Not much.

 

[Murat Baslamisli]

RE: What do you think Bernard Tomic?

Without going into all that is wrong with his attitude/game/whatever, I'll point out one obvious thing:

His movement isn't good enough to be among the elite.

Totally agree, and that is the first thing I said as well. The guy cannot even get a decent lift when he is serving.:nono

 

[TsarMatt]

Without going into all that is wrong with his attitude/game/whatever, I'll point out one obvious thing:

His movement isn't good enough to be among the elite.

His movement is pretty damn good on grass.

 

[Front242]

No one that young , playing pro tennis, should have such weak legs as Tomic. That is lack of commitment, pure and simple. When he first started coming on the scene, I was a bit excited, but it wore off quickly. The whole father thing, the playboy stuff...Hey, he might turn it around and become someone, but I am not holding my breath. To me, he is the Beiber of tennis.

Except David Goffin who probably makes Tomic look like Ronnie Coleman Another guy who needs to munch a fair few burgers and build some muscle on those twigs.

 

[nehmeth]

Aussie tennis is in a similar boat as US tennis - with a long history of great players and a bit of a drought since Hewitt ... so Tomic has had to live life in a fishbowl with the whole "world" watching. Unfortunately, he's had enough missteps in his personal life to keep him in the headlines of the tabloids with far too few good results on court.

He's not a kid anymore; maybe this last fiasco with his father will help him step out on his own, make his own way. I do hope he turns things around and makes a career for himself commensurate with his abilities.

 

[Moxie]

^I feel much the same as nehmeth. He's been hard to like, besides some good tennis, but I try to remind myself was bad draw he got with that father. (The stories that came out after the choking incident with the French hitting partner or whatever were horrifying. Actually, Bernie gained some of my sympathy after that.) But yes, time to fish or cut bait. Maybe having other rising stars on the scene for Australia will spur him on to focus and knuckle down. And he should tell his dad that he's 21, and the old man should stay home from now on. He's poisonous.

 

[britbox]

On the same token, would Bernie even be playing tennis on the pro tour without John Tomic pushing and pushing from an early age? I have my doubts. Pretty sure Agassi wouldn't have had such a career without an overbearing father either.

So John Tomic might get a bad rap but you've also got to acknowledge his influence and input in getting his son this far along.

 

[El Dude]

On the same token, would Bernie even be playing tennis on the pro tour without John Tomic pushing and pushing from an early age? I have my doubts. Pretty sure Agassi wouldn't have had such a career without an overbearing father either.

So John Tomic might get a bad rap but you've also got to acknowledge his influence and input in getting his son this far along.

If what you say is true, thought, it could be that Tomic should have gone a different career route. Was it chosen by his father? Did little Bernie say, "Daddy, I don't want to play tennis - I want to draw pictures" and his father squelched his true dream?

I mean, who knows, but I'm not going to give John Tomic credit for "getting his son this far along" unless I know that it is a place where Bernard actually wants to be, and that doesn't necessarily seem to be the case.

 

[britbox]

^ Difficult to say without the inside scoop, but parents can push kids in all manner of directions El Dude. Kids can get pushed into being lawyers, doctors, retailors... They get pushed in furthering education, going to College or University.... even pursuing a tennis career... read Agassi, Steffi Graf and more players than you could shake a stick at.

... and sometimes when all is said and done, they often turn around and say thank you. Thank you for turfing me out of bed on a Saturday morning, thank you for driving me from X to Y. Thank you for stopping me quitting when I wanted to... Thank you for giving me direction.

Of course, on the flipside, sometimes they turn around and resent being pushed in a direction they didn't feel comfortable going in.

What camp does Tomic fall into? I don't know. BUT as a tennis player (whether he likes being one or not - and I can think of far worse jobs), John Tomic's influence and input can't really be disputed or ignored.

Bernie's a millionaire driving a yellow Ferrari around the Gold Coast. I wouldn't feel that sorry for him.

 

[Moxie]

^Fair points, baron. Agassi is a good case in point. Would he have been the prodigy that he was without a pushy, ambitious father? (I read the book.) However, (and however late,) Agassi also found his own way. I hope for Bernard's sake it doesn't take as long, or as circuitous a path. Many talented people can be said to have benefitted from a stage parent pushing them. But it's often a snake that bites back. It's how they learn to handle it that matters.

 

[nehmeth]

So John Tomic might get a bad rap but you've also got to acknowledge his influence and input in getting his son this far along.

In my opinion, it's more than just a "bad rap". He physically assaulted another person.

I don't believe you mean to hold up the overbearing fathers of the world like Dokic, Capriati, Agassi, Graf, Tomic (and others), as shining examples of how to do it correctly. Rather, as Moxie and I have stated, your desire is to see Bernie turn his experiences into something positive in his life.

Hopefully he will.

 

[El Dude]

britbox, its one thing pulling your kid out of bed and getting them to engage in what they love to do, but its another to force them into something that they may or may not love to do, but because you (the parent) want them to do it.

I'm actually a high school teacher and student counselor and I see variants of both. Part of my job as counselor is to help young people learn to listen to what they deeply want, to find their own voice and direction - even if it is different from what their parents want. This is an ideological choice, you might say, but its one that I make consciously. I don't see myself as an agent for the parents and what they want (which usually has more to do with them and their issues, than the good of their child), except insofar as the degree to which they want the happiness and deep wellbeing of their child. But really I see myself as an advocate for the student, their individuality and well-being - and finding their own individual path and passion through life.

Like you say, we don't really know the "Tomic truth" - or at least I don't. I'm more speaking in terms of "if X, then Y."

 

[britbox]

No, I'm not holding anyone up as beacons of parenthood or excusing John Tomic's behaviour in regard to the hitting partner... but I would also warrant that *some* of these players would never have made it without the driving force of an overbearing parent.

As for Bernie, and the original questions...

Does John Tomic hold Bernie back? Again, I think a lot of Bernie's success can be attributed to John Tomic. But maybe John (as many parents) need to know when to let go and pass the baton. Going forward, I think this will be necessary if Bernie is to fulfill his potential.

What is his potential? Broken mentioned his movement, others have mentioned his strength. I think he can improve in both departments. I used to think Dimitrov's movement would impede him making the uber elite (and yes, I'm a big fan of Grigor)... but he's improved A LOT and to be honest, I think Bernie has more upside than Grigor in that department. I really think Bernie has the potential to make the Top 10 within the next 3-4 years. At the very least, Top 20. He doesn't however, appear to have that final ingredient where I think he's going to be winning any majors or be among the uber elite.

Is he a spoiled brat? Goes with the territory. I don't begrudge him the money or the Ferrari. He's one of the top 50 or 60 players on the plant. Considering the 3,000th best soccer player will probably be earning more, then so be it.

PS. TsarMatt - Not sure where you live, but my kids are coached by a guy who won Junior tournaments with Bernie playing doubles. Are you in Queensland?

 

[britbox]

britbox, its one thing pulling your kid out of bed and getting them to engage in what they love to do, but its another to force them into something that they may or may not love to do, but because you (the parent) want them to do it.

I'm actually a high school teacher and student counselor and I see variants of both. Part of my job as counselor is to help young people learn to listen to what they deeply want, to find their own voice and direction - even if it is different from what their parents want. This is an ideological choice, you might say, but its one that I make consciously. I don't see myself as an agent for the parents and what they want (which usually has more to do with them and their issues, than the good of their child), except insofar as the degree to which they want the happiness and deep wellbeing of their child. But really I see myself as an advocate for the student, their individuality and well-being - and finding their own individual path and passion through life.

Like you say, we don't really know the "Tomic truth" - or at least I don't. I'm more speaking in terms of "if X, then Y."

Dude, If I "listened" to what my kids wanted everyday, they would be playing Xbox in bed and never leave their room.