Bernard Tomic postpones his retirement after winning another title: “I will play for another 20 years”

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Bernard Tomic is once again among the top 200 tennis players in the world. The Australian, who reached as high as number 17 in the ATP rankings in 2016, has captured the Challenger de Lincoln in Nebraska, after coming back against Estonian Mark Lajal, sparking an unexpected turn in his retirement plans. Just two weeks ago, the player himself stated that this was probably his last year as a professional. Now, after lifting a trophy once again, he seems less certain.

Tomic defeated Lajal this Sunday by 4-6, 7-6, and 7-6 in a final that lasted two hours and 41 minutes. A battle that allowed him to clinch his first title since 2018, when he won the ATP 250 in Chengdu, marking his fourth Challenger victory of his career. This triumph has also boosted him 36 positions in the ATP rankings, now standing at number 170, his best ranking since September last year.

However, the most remarkable moment came during the trophy ceremony. There, Tomic spoke with an unusual honesty about the recent thoughts he had regarding leaving professional tennis. "I'm going to be as honest as I can. About ten days ago, I hit a wall, maybe two weeks ago. I said this would be my last year, so I guess I have to rethink some things now," acknowledged the Australian, with a smile.

The victory has clearly shifted the scenario. Not necessarily because a title solves all the doubts of a 33-year-old player, but because it shows that Tomic can still compete, win matches, and once again feel like a protagonist on the tour. "Now that I've won, I'll have to sit back at the table again. I'll probably play another 20 years," he joked during his champion speech.

Was it the tournament that changed Bernard Tomic's career?

The phrase was received with humor, but it also reflects the particular moment Bernard Tomic is going through. Not long ago, the Australian seemed far from the spotlights that once surrounded him. Now, however, he is back within the top 200 and positioned near the top 10 in Australia.

His career started to draw attention at a very young age. In 2009, at just 16 years old, he became the third youngest player in history to win a Challenger title, only behind Michael Chang and Richard Gasquet. Seven years later, he achieved his career-high ranking of number 17 in the world. Since then, the journey has been much more erratic. Tomic has alternated periods of great talent with challenging times, difficulties in finding consistency, and a changing relationship with professional tennis. Retiring seemed, therefore, an increasingly closer option.

A victory in Nebraska doesn't erase everything that has happened in recent years, but it can alter a player's perception of their current situation. Tomic has a title again, is back in the top 200, and, above all, raises a question that just two weeks ago seemed to have an answer. Perhaps this is not yet the end of Bernard Tomic. Or maybe it is at some point. But after winning in Lincoln, retirement will have to wait at least a little longer.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Bernard Tomic aplaza su retirada tras volver a ganar un título: “Jugaré otros 20 años”