Tomic stuns with four-year first
Bernard Tomic displayed the sort of fight that was absent in his fall from the top to record his first ATP tour-level win for four years in Mallorca.
Tomic, the former world No.17 who hadn't played a tour-level event since the 2021 Australian Open, came from a set down to topple fellow Aussie, Wimbledon-bound Rinky Hijikata 3-6, 7-5, 6-2.
Down 3-5 in the second set on the grass courts in Spain, Tomic rallied to claim his third consecutive top-100 scalp and jump to 214 on the live rankings.
Tomic, 32, has won four ATP titles and reached his ranking high in 2016.
But nearly a decade later, the Queenslander is showing signs of a resurgence most thought couldn't happen.
The win came after Tomic won twice in qualifying to make the main draw, having been slogging it out in lower level and Challenger events in an attempt to break back into the top 100.
More wins could put Tomic in the frame to play in qualifying for the US Open in New York in late August.
His victory came as fellow Australians James McCabe, Tristan Schoolkate, Li Tu and Alex Bolt all successfully kickstarted their Wimbledon 2025 qualifying campaigns with wins.
For 21-year-old McCabe, it marked a brilliant Wimbledon qualifying debut having also tried to qualify for the French Open.
'(I'm) grateful to be out here, and it's everyone's dream to play the slams,' he said.
'It was my first (Roland Garros last month) and now it's my first Wimbledon, so it's an unreal experience.'
There are already 13 Australians qualified for the main draw at Wimbledon.
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