Tomic regains Australian No.1 ranking
UPDATE 11:00 AM: Bernard Tomic has officially regained his Australian No.1 status following his breakthrough success in Sydney.
Melbourne, Australia, 14 January 2013 | AAP
Bernard Tomic has officially regained his Australian No.1 status following his breakthrough success in Sydney.
Tomic soared 21 places in the rankings to No.43 in the world on Monday, leapfrogging Marinko Matosevic, who slipped one spot to 49th.
With his confidence sky high and fuelled by adrenaline, Tomic says there is no limit to how far he can go at the Australian Open starting on Monday.
Roger Federer looms as a hazardous third-round road block, while eight matches – for eight splendid wins – in a fortnight must have taken a physical and mental toll.
Tomic, though, says he’s well prepared for the rigours of five-set grand slam tennis and believes he’ll take a power of stopping at Melbourne Park.
“Best-of-five is always difficult. You don’t know how your body can pull up, but I think I’m pretty fit. Not a lot of problems,” he said ahead of his first-round clash on Tuesday with Argentine Leonardo Mayer.
“I played five straight matches in Sydney. I had no problem after the tournament, so I feel physically fine. I’ll be ready for five sets any day of the week.”
Tomic was still buzzing from Saturday night when he became the first 20-year-old since Federer in 2002 to reign in Sydney.
The breakthrough sent Tomic rocketing from 64th in the rankings to back inside the world’s top 45.
He arrived at Melbourne Park with his Australian No.1 status restored and said his stunning transformation from perennial first-round loser in the second half of 2013 was mainly a result of his vastly improved conditioning.
“It’s just amazing what I’ve done the last few months and got my body to where it is,” he said.
“And my tennis is improving each day. I can feel it.
“To get all these matches under my belt is big confidence. This is what you need in this sport: confidence.
“I’m going to approach (the Australian Open) very differently now. Now I’m confident and know I can do well, and I’m going to push as much as I can.”
The former Open junior champion believes “anything” is possible over the next fortnight.
“I feel unstoppable,” said Tomic, whose list of summer victims include top seed and two-time defending champion Novak Djokovic.
“When you know that no one can beat you, not even the No. 1, you’ve got a good feeling.
“It’s amazing stepping on court. You’re so confident.”