Bernard Tomic’s record run at the Australian Open ends with him being denied a qualifying wildcard

Bernard Tomic’s colorful and record-breaking 15-year Australian Open streak is over after the fallen star was overlooked for a qualifying wildcard.

The former world No. 17, who sits at No. 462 in the rankings but is still very active on the court, has been a fixture at the Melbourne Park Grand Slam every January since 2008.

But he won’t be there when Monday’s qualifiers begin after Tennis Australia opted for youth, and promises the experience and credentials of the over-30-year-old Tomic if he deals seven wildcards to fellow Australians.

Despite his spectacular fall from disgrace, Tomic still sits higher than four of the wildcard recipients, including 18-year-old world No. 1017 Derek Pham.

But the former prodigy and two-time Grand Slam junior champion is seven years older than oldest wildcard recipient Adam Walton, world No. 432.

Bernard Tomic’s 15-year Australian Open streak is over after the fallen star was overlooked for a qualifying wildcard (pictured with girlfriend Keely Hannah)

World number 462 has been overlooked by players like 18-year-old world number 1017 Derek Pham

Four of the seven wildcard entrants are exciting teenage talents.

While it’s clear Tomic wasn’t looking for a wildcard, the 2011 Wimbledon quarter-finalist could still have been offered one.

But that always seemed unlikely after Tomic fell out with TA and launched a savage attack on Davis Cup captain and former close ally Lleyton Hewitt, one of the key wildcard judges.

“No one likes him (Hewitt) more,” Tomic said after a first-round Open exit in 2019.

“We have a lot of problems that some players are unhappy about. We all know who these players are. Myself, (Thanasi) Kokkinakis, (Nick) Kyrgios.’

Kyrgios accused Tomic of throwing him under a bus with his explosive outburst – but the Canberra-raised entertainer has since endured his own strained relationship with Hewitt, choosing to skip the Davis Cup for the past three years.

If Tomic fails to improve his rankings and never competes at the Australian Open again, it will be a sad end to a somewhat historic career at his home slam.

A falling out with Tennis Australia and Davis Cup captain Lleyton Hewitt, one of the key wildcard judges, didn’t help Tomic’s cause

Tomic’s off-court antics have failed to impress many tennis fans (pictured with ex-girlfriend Vanessa Sierra)

At 15 years and three months in 2007, he became the youngest player to win the Junior Australian Open.

The following year, Tomic collected match points against Italy’s Potito Starace and became the youngest man in history to win a main draw match at the Open.

Tomic spearheaded Australia’s Davis Cup for several years while averaging an impressive 19-4 record in team competition and also had a string of good results at Melbourne Park.

He reached the last 16 three times and reached the third round three times after promising runs were ended twice each by legends Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.

Tomic hasn’t been that successful in recent years, only making it into the peloton twice since 2015.

In 2021 he was the only successful qualifier of 20 Australian hopefuls before reaching the second round.

Tomic also deserves credit for continuing to enlist in low-level events across the Americas.

He played 38 games in 2022, including 24 in the last four months of the season, winning titles in Santo Domingo and Cancun and losing a final in Harlington, Texas.

But he pocketed a measly $35,732 ($51,900) for his troubles, including just $2,160 ($3,140) for his most recent tournament win in November, a far cry from the days he told a TV journalist , he was “counting my millions” after losing in the third round of Australian Open qualifiers in 2018.

Had he been wildcarded into the Open qualifier this year, Tomic would have been guaranteed a $26,000 payday.

If he had made it into the main draw for the 12th time, he would have deposited at least $106,250.