The veteran and the teen prospect had high hopes of a berth in the Open main draw but were unable to deliver a victory in front of a swell of fans on Tuesday, with 32-year-old Tomic possibly bowing out for the last time.
Nick Kyrgios named in Davis Cup team after five-year absence
Photo shows Lleyton Hewitt and Nick Kyrgios share a laugh togetherLleyton Hewitt and Nick Kyrgios share a laugh together
Nick Kyrgios appears to be in the good graces of Lleyton Hewitt once again after being named in Australia’s Davis Cup team for the qualifying tie in Sweden.
The one-time world No.17, who has made the fourth round of the Open three times during his 11 appearances, was returning to play in Melbourne for the first time in three years.
But he was unable to repeat his 2021 feat, when he won three qualifying matches to earn a spot in the main draw and then reached the second round.
Ranked No.214, Tomic was trounced by Slovakian world No.128 Jozef Kovalik 6-3 6-1 with his effort falling away in the second set after the first break.
Tomic last year earned just over $100,000 playing in Challenger and Future events in tennis backwaters.
Missing the chance to more than double that in one week, with a first-round Open loser collecting $132,000, he sought a guarantee that he wouldn’t be fined for declining a request from media post-match.
“Am I going to get a fine?,” the former Wimbledon quarter-finalist asked a tennis official who told him interviews weren’t obligatory.
“OK, I’m good.”
Hewitt, the 16-year-old son of former world No.1 Lleyton, was quickly ushered from court by security with a towel over his head following his 6-1 6-4 defeat by experienced Georgian Nikoloz Basilashvili.
