Tomic’s New Coach Will Have To Work With Tomic’s Old Coach

Written by: Bob Larson Tennis on 16th October 2013

Tomic’s New Coach Will Have To Work With Tomic’s Old Coach

epa03868492 Australia?s Bernard Tomic celebrates after defeating Poland?s Lukasz Kubot in the fourth match to win the Davis Cup World Group playoff against Poland in Warsaw, Poland, 15 September 2013. EPA/BARTLOMIEJ ZBOROWSKI POLAND OUT |

Even though Bernard Tomic has vowed to appoint a new coach in upcoming weeks, the new man will still have to work alongside the Australian’s star’s banned father John.

So says Tennis Australia’s Head of Professional Tennis Todd Woodbridge whose job it is to maintain a close relationship with his nation’s highest ranked male player whose poor late season run continued yesterday with a first round defeat to American youngster Jack Sock at the IF Stockholm Open.

Tomic’s manager, Frazer Wright of IMG, is currently working on producing a short list of candidates for the 51st ranked player to make his choice. But Woodbridge maintained: “John is still there and will always be an essential part of Bernard’s career, regardless of whether he’s the coach on court that day.

“So whoever takes that role will need to work in tandem in that partnership. I do work in a lot with the family, with Bernard, with his Dad, John, who is still his coach.”

Tomic’s form appears to have suffered a dip this year after all the turmoil caused by his father’s head butting assault on French practice partner Thomas Drouet in Madrid in May and subsequent suspended jail sentence as well as one year ban from the ATP World Tour.

However Woodbridge maintained 20 year-old Tomic has become a stronger personality because of all the strife. “It has been a difficult year but it has been a year when he has really had to mature,” said the Melbourne based former doubles star who has been TA’s Head of Professional Tennis for three years.

“Bernard is ready to become more consistent, and that is what he needs to do. If he can do that on a week-in, week-out basis, he’s a definite top-20 player.”

And Woodbridge was prepared to be even more optimistic. “I think he’s the one that has the potential to win a Wimbledon; that is best surface for him,” he said.

Topics: 10sballs.com, Bernard Tomic, jack sock, Stockholm Open, Tennis, Tennis News, Todd Woodbridge