Injured Tomic crashes out of Wimbledon

Darren Walton
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Injured Tomic crashes out of Wimbledon

Bernard Tomic has joined the Australian exodus from the Wimbledon singles draws with an insipid straight-sets loss to German Mischa Zverev.

Tomic complained of hurting his back in the warm-up but even his victorious opponent was left surprised by the ease of his passage through to the second round.

Australia's former quarter-finalist had thrashed Zverev only last week in Eastbourne, but slumped to a 6-4 6-3 6-4 defeat in just 84 minutes on Tuesday.

"I thought it was going to be a complicated match because I played him a couple days ago in Eastbourne," said Zverev, the tournament's 27th seed.

"I know the way he plays. It's not always easy because it seems like maybe, let's say he's the opposite of, let's say, Rafa (Nadal) on the court with the intensity level between points especially.



With Nick Kyrgios retiring with a hip injury just two sets into his opener against Pierre-Hugues Herbert and John Millman and Andrew Whittington also losing, only Thanasi Kokkinakis or Jordan Thompson can save Australia from a humiliating first-ever Wimbledon first-round men's wipeout.

Kokkinakis and Thompson both play seeds in their openers on Tuesday.

Tomic, who reached the fourth round last year for the second time since making the last eight as a teenager in 2011, has a history of back trouble.

He showed no signs of discomfort before seemingly jarring it while bending down innocuously for a forehand half-volley.

He dropped serve for the first time soon after to concede the opening set before labouring on for several games until calling for treatment while trailing by a break and 4-3 in the second.

The 24-year-old needed medication, but Zverev only needed one more service break in the third set to wrap up the match in less than an hour and a half.

The Queenslander can now expect to plummet even further down the rankings from his current standing as the world No.59, having soared to a career-high 17th only last year.

Zverev, who famously removed world No.1 Andy Murray from the Australian Open in January and is enjoying a career-high ranking at age 29, next plays either Mikhail Kukushkin or Taro Daniel.