Will Bernie be welcomed back into Davis Cup fold?

Bernard Tomic's lacklustre performance in Florida has left major doubts about whether he should be brought back into Australia's Davis Cup team.

Tomic's unhappy start to 2017 continued on Wednesday when he was sent packing from a tournament in the first round for a second consecutive week, blowing a one-set to love lead over Belgian Steve Darcis to eventually lose 3-6 6-1 6-4.

Tomic had a 4-1 lead in the final set but the Belgian world No.57, who had to go through qualifying, reeled off five straight games to take the match.

The loss condemned the Australian world No.31 to his third first round loss out of four tournaments in 2017, with his only wins coming in the first and second rounds of the Australian Open.

Tomic began the year with a straight-sets loss to Spanish veteran David Ferrer in Brisbane and last week lost to world No.140 Barbadian Darian King 6-4 6-4 in the first round of the Memphis Open.

The controversial Aussie also made headlines earlier this month when he withdrew from Australia's Davis Cup tie with Czech Republic.

In his absence young gun Jordan Thompson stepped up and helped his country to an impressive 4-1 win with two singles victories.

Australia will next host USA in Brisbane from April 7-9, but captain Lleyton Hewitt was noncommittal about Tomic's involvement.

"I don't know, I'm not sure. I can't answer that right now," Hewitt said on Wednesday.

Hewitt was left frustrated by Bernie's decision not to play against Czech Republic, and reckons father John might have something to do with it.

Tomic and Hewitt. Image: Getty

"I guess for me this tie has been really frustrating because I feel like I have put a lot of time and effort into Bernie the last year and a half, two years since I've been in this role," Hewitt said.

"His father has a massive influence on him. That's probably the tough thing for me because I don't feel like while his father is around and in the picture and involved in his tennis so heavily that he's going to have a chance to fulfill his potential. That's probably frustrating for me when I see it first hand.

"I have told him and I guess that's where it come down to. But there's a lot of stuff that those guys have been through. His father is a very tough person as well on the tour and off the tour and I think the demands of that on Bernie weigh him down in some ways."

Incoming Tennis Australia head of performance Wally Masur last week said he will attempt to bring the Tomic family back into the fold after their relationship soured under his predecessor Pat Rafter.

Former world No.1 Rafter is stepping down after two years in the role, with deputy Masur taking on the position.

Rafter and John Tomic had an bitter ongoing feud over his son Bernard and daughter Sara involving funding from TA.

"I will certainly talk to Bernie," said Masur, former Davis Cup coach and then captain before Hewitt took over last year.

Bernard Sr and Jr. Image: Getty

"Like any player, the door is open to Davis Cup for Bernie.

"He made himself unavailable for scheduling reasons and to make a concerted effort to get his ranking where he feels he should be and I don't think we can dismiss all the good things that he's done in Davis Cup in the past."