'Sh*t myself': Bernard Tomic in strange Wimbledon interview
Bernard Tomic left English broadcaster John Inverdale slightly lost for words during a typically odd post-match interview following a win at the Wimbledon qualifiers.
After a three-set, 4-6 6-4 6-3 win over Slovenia’s Blaz Kavcik, Tomic seemed to be in a buoyant mood when he approached Inverdale for a chat on camera.
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Tomic still faces an uphill battle to qualify for the main draw, where he recorded his best grand slam finish in 2011, when he lost a quarter final to Novak Djokovic/
The 28-year-old's career has followed a downhill trajectory since he peaked at #17 in the world rankings back in 2016.
He needs to defeat World No. 122 Bernabe Zapata Miralles in the second round of the qualifiers, plus win one more match after that, to make the Wimbeldon draw.
But Tomic gave no indication his unpredictable ways would rear up again during his post-match interview with Inverdale, who had to apologise to viewers for some foul language after asking Tomic if he felt the final game 'was never going to end'.
“Yeah, it was tough. I was nervous,” he said.
“I couldn’t really turn on my backhand side. And then I kind of ah, s*** myself.”
The interview continued along its strange path when Tomic admitted finding everything about playing 'irritating' when he faced four break points serving for the match at 5-3 in the third set.
“Everything feels irritating at that moment. The wind, don’t mind me speaking this, but the ball kids, everything," he said.
Tomic will be hoping for better luck at the Wimbledon qualifiers, after crashing out of the French Open qualifiers in the first round last month.
Popyrin back on track in the UK ahead Wimbledon
Australia's Alexei Popyrin is back on track after a 4-6 6-4 6-1 win against Norbert Gombos at the Viking International in England.
Popyrin has had a great season in 2021, winning his first ATP Tour title in Singapore and reaching his career-high No.61 in May, the ATP website says.
He arrived in Eastbourne on a five-match losing streak at all levels but turned that around against Gombos on Tuesday.
Australia's John Millman was another winner, after defeating Britain's Jay Clarke 6-3 6-2.
Veteran Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, who has won only one match since 2019, fell 6-3 6-4 to Egor Gerasimov, while there were victories for eighth seed Alexander Bublik and Max Purcell who defeated fellow Australian James Duckworth 6-2 3-6 7-6 (5).
Meanwhile, Matteo Berrettini's victory at Queen's Club will mark him out as another major threat.
The 25-year-old Italian, ranked ninth in the world, became the first debutant to triumph at Queen's since Boris Becker in 1985. Becker, of course, went on to win Wimbledon a couple of weeks later.
Berrettini reached the second week of the Championships two years ago where he was beaten comprehensively in the last 16 by Federer.
"I had the chance to play Roger on Centre, it was my dream as a kid and I really enjoyed it, despite losing. I saw my idol over the net and I was overwhelmed," he said.
"But that match really helped me in the next few slams. Now I have a lot of confidence, I know I'm playing well, I'm pushing myself in these conditions, I'm happy with my mindset and I know I can play good in Wimbledon."
With AAP
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