It’s time for Bernard Tomic to “knuckle down” if he’s going to have any chance of fulfilling his enormous potential, says Australia’s grand slam-winner Sam Stosur.
Davis Cup captain Pat Rafter has decided not to consider Tomic for Australia’s opening Davis Cup tie against Taiwan in February due to what he believes is a questionable attitude towards representing his country.
When asked what advice she would give Tomic, Stosur said the 20-year-old must ask himself some tough questions if he’s going to bounce back from a dismal end to the year when his ranking slid from No.27 in June to No.52.
“What are you doing? Are you wanting to play tennis?,” Stosur queried in Sydney on Thursday.
“If you are, then give it 100 per cent because you only get one crack at it.”
“He’s going to have to decide what he wants to do and how he’s going to approach his career.
“Until that improves in a lot of people’s eyes, he’s going to have to deal with things like being dropped out of the Davis Cup team.”
Stosur added it would be unfortunate to witness Tomic’s undoubted talent go to waste.
“That’s probably the most disappointing thing for a lot of people on the outside – that he’s got this unbelievable tennis ability and he’s not really using it at the moment,” said the world No.9 and US Open title winner.
“So I think everyone would like to see him knuckle down and do his best and see where that gets him.”
Tennis Australia director of tennis Craig Tiley said Tomic would be suspended from Australia’s Davis Cup tie in Taiwan as the rift between the former Wimbledon quarter-finalist and the game’s authorities continues to widen.
“Pat has made the decision early that for the first tie next year Bernard will not be selected,” Tiley told the Sydney Morning Herald.
“As a team, we just felt that part of the commitment that we make to athletes and athletes make to the sport is they always put 100 per cent commitment and effort in competing for their country …”
“I think you can draw a few parallels with Marinko (Matosevic). It’s very much along those lines. It’s not one specific incident, just an aggregation of his approach to the game.
“We just felt that this decision should provide additional motivation every time he walks on the court to be a total professional in his approach to not only his preparation but competing in the match and post-match.
“And it would be no different if he was the No.1 player in Australia, or the No.100 player, or a junior.”