Down 6-3, 3-0, to ATP journeyman Teymuraz Gabashvili in Sydney on Thursday, No. 1 seed Bernard Tomic did what he has been accused of periodically throughout his career.
He quit.
Not just that, though. Oh no. That would be pedestrian. Dull. Decidedly un-Bernie. Instead, after an extended conversation with chair umpire Mohamed Lahyani that ended with each chuckling to himself, he quit. After chatting about the impending Australian Open draw and points he needs to move up in the rankings, he quit.
“Don’t even think about that,” Lahyani said to Tomic more than once, speaking about the draw in Melbourne.
Tomic, ranked No. 17, is a Top 16 seed in light of Richard Gasquet’s recent withdrawal. (He’ll open against Denis Istomin.) It may have been all giggles and guffaws between umpire and player, but former touring pro and fellow Aussie Rennae Stubbs—now a TV commentator—withered in her criticism, as did others.
Pretty sure Lahyani needs to call a coaching violation on himself
— Amy Fetherolf (@AmyFetherolf) January 15, 2016
No offense Bernie but you’re not winning the Australian Open. You might want to concentrate on winning Sydney instead. #idontunderstand
— rennae stubbs (@rennaestubbs) January 15, 2016
Tomic just said to Gabashvili on the changeover,”Hey, you play Roger (AO draw)” then laughed…
— Dianne (@diannada) January 15, 2016
(Not the case, by the way. Roger Federer opens his 2016 Aussie Open campaign against Nikoloz Basilashvili. That’s sort of close to Gabashvili, who himself has a first-rounder soon with No. 26 seed Andreas Seppi.)
Gabashvili’s long reign of being the highest ranked ATP player never to have reached an ATP SF is over!
— Amy Fetherolf (@AmyFetherolf) January 15, 2016
Reason we use #BernieCares: because often he doesn’t. Tomic out 6-3, 3-0 ret. in Sydney after this blunt exchange: https://t.co/GxHxde92Rc
— Ben Rothenberg (@BenRothenberg) January 15, 2016
Or the Iowa Caucus. pic.twitter.com/j1igHfwQnw
— Curtis (@Curtos07) January 15, 2016
Somewhere Mr. Sanders, the would-be POTUS, is reacting as he so often does.
He’s shaking his head. He doesn’t just quit.
Video via The Changeover and @AmyFetherolf.
Follow Jon on Twitter @jonscott9.
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