Bernard Tomic’s Grand Slam Comeback Ends in Disappointment
Bernard Tomic’s most recent attempt to make a grand slam comeback has ended in heartbreak after the 33-year-old failed to qualify for the French Open. Tomic was among the last three Australians to be eliminated during the qualifying rounds for Roland Garros, marking another setback in his career. However, there was some positive news for another Australian tennis player, Thanasi Kokkinakis, who confirmed he will compete in the year’s second major tournament, which begins in Paris on Sunday.
Kokkinakis will use a protected ranking to enter the French Open, joining 13 other Australian players in the main draw. The injury-plagued athlete has been dealing with a persistent shoulder issue since withdrawing from the Australian Open earlier this year. Despite this, he managed to win a couple of qualifying matches in Zagreb last week, signaling a potential return to form.
Tomic, however, was one of 11 Australians who were unable to advance through the qualifying rounds and join their compatriots at Roland Garros. The 33-year-old suffered a 6-2 6-4 defeat to Italian teenager Federico Cina, which denied him the chance to return to the majors for the first time since 2021. Another Australian, Tristan Schoolkate, also fell to 18-year-old American Darwin Blanch, losing 6-4 6-4. In the women’s qualifying, 31-year-old veteran Storm Hunter saw her hopes dashed by China’s Wang Xiyu, as she went down 6-2 7-5 in the second round.
Alex de Minaur Overcomes Adversity in Hamburg
In more positive news for the Australian contingent, the highest-ranked men’s player, Alex de Minaur, and fellow Australian Alexei Popyrin both had strong performances ahead of the French Open. At the Hamburg Open, de Minaur faced a tough challenge against Alexander Davidovich Fokina, ultimately securing a 6-2 4-6 6-4 victory to move into the quarter-finals.
The World No.9 started strongly, dominating the first set before Davidovich Fokina made a comeback in the second. The match went into a third set, where de Minaur suffered a fall on the clay, requiring medical attention. He recovered well, taking a 5-2 lead but then faced a tense finish as Davidovich Fokina fought back to trail 5-4. The Spaniard saved two match points on de Minaur’s serve before the Australian finally clinched the victory after a two-hour and 40-minute battle.
This win sets up an exciting last-eight showdown for de Minaur against Italian Open semi-finalist Luciano Darderi, who defeated Yannick Hanfmann 7-6 (9-7) 7-5. The victory was a promising sign for de Minaur on clay, following previous first-round defeats in Madrid and Rome.
Alexei Popyrin Advances at Geneva Open
Fellow Australian Alexei Popyrin also delivered a strong performance ahead of the French Open, defeating top seed Taylor Fritz in straight sets at the Geneva Open to secure a quarter-final spot. The World No.61 took advantage of a rusty Fritz, who had only recently returned from a two-month injury layoff, to win 6-4 6-4.
“I am very happy,” said Popyrin, who will face Norway’s two-time Roland Garros finalist Casper Ruud in the quarters. “I am glad to be playing this level finally this year. It has been a tough year for me, so playing this level a week before a slam is always a great feeling.”
