Bernard Tomic’s Disheartening Exit from Roland-Garros Qualifying
Bernard Tomic, the enigmatic Australian tennis player, admitted he had “no motivation” before his exit from the qualifying rounds of the French Open. The 33-year-old had sparked hopes of a late-career revival after returning to the world’s top 200 and defeating seeded Tunisian Moez Echargui in the first round of qualifying. However, his journey came to an end against talented Italian teenager Federico Cina, who secured a 6-2, 6-4 victory.
Tomic, once ranked as high as world No.17 and a four-time ATP champion, has not competed in the main draw of a Grand Slam since the 2021 Australian Open. His lack of motivation was evident during the match, as he stated, “I have absolutely no motivation to be on court today,” shortly after losing the next three points.
Cina, who is making his mark at this stage of the tournament, expressed his satisfaction with the win. “I couldn’t be happier to get this win. It was really tough today,” he said. He also highlighted the importance of maintaining focus throughout the match. “I started the match very focused and managed to keep that to the end, which was very important. It’s the first time at this stage here, so I’m very happy. I have to try to stay calm.”
Tomic recently welcomed his daughter, Astara Aurelia, with partner Keely Hannah. Despite this personal milestone, his performance in Paris was not unexpected. Clay courts have never been his strong suit, and he will now shift his focus to qualifying for Wimbledon, where he hopes to find better form on grass.
Australian Players in the Main Draw of Roland-Garros
There are 11 Australian players confirmed in the main draw of Roland-Garros, which begins on Sunday. Among them is Thanasi Kokkinakis, who has been sidelined for the last three months but is using a protected ranking of 84th to enter the tournament.
Alex de Minaur, Australia’s top-ranked player and a 2024 quarter-finalist in Paris, will lead the men’s charge alongside Alexei Popyrin, James Duckworth, Aleksandar Vukic, and Rinky Hijikata.
On the women’s side, five Australians have secured their spots in the main draw. Maya Joint is the highest-ranked among them, currently sitting at 34th. However, she has not played since Indian Wells due to a back injury that forced her withdrawal from the Billie Jean King Cup tie against Great Britain. She is joined by Talia Gibson, Daria Kasatkina, Kimberly Birrell, and Ajla Tomljanovic.
Notable Champions and Coverage Highlights
Carlos Alcaraz, the reigning champion, is unable to defend his title due to injury, while Coco Gauff was the 2025 champion. For all the latest updates, talking points, and highlights from Roland-Garros, Grand Slam Daily will be streaming every day on Stan Sport from 11am AEST. The show will be hosted by Chris Stubbs, who will be joined in Paris by Daniela Hantuchova, Barbara Schett, Mark Woodforde, and Mark Petchey. They will be speaking to some of the biggest names in world tennis.
