2014 Australian Open Update: Did Bernard Tomic Tank Another Match?
Being booed out of the court was “pretty unfair” according to Australian Bernard Tomic after Aussie fans jeered him during his first round match-up against Rafael Nadal on Tuesday when he retired from the match because of a groin injury.
“I felt like I got booed a little bit on court, which was pretty unfair," said Tomic in the post-match interviews according to supersport.com. “I think I was misunderstood.”
Tomic revealed that scans showed a torn groin tendon that will cause him to miss up to three weeks.
"Obviously they thought I was shaking Rafa's hand because he's too good and I'm forfeiting the match because I can't play against him.”
"It's just a small one (tear). It's not that big," Tomic said. "But if I had played on it it would have been 10 times worse, they say, so I could have been out potentially for three, four months.
The fans at the Rod Laver Arena obviously thinks that indeed he tanked another match or wasn’t tough enough to go on playing. Tomic already has a history of not giving it is all during the match — or pulling out of it because of apparent various injuries.
Since crashing into the Top 100 in the ATP rankings in 2011, Tomic has retired from games six times because of apparent various injuries. In 2013 alone, he did not finish four matches, again due to injuries.
The 21-year-old Australian did apologize to crowd just before he quit against Nadal. However, with a checkered past of supposed tanking, everyone has the right to question his toughness or commitment to the game.