Tomic's Open run comes to an end
Australia's 28-year drought to have two local players in their home grand slam quarter finals will have to wait for at least another year after Bernard Tomic lost to Tomas Berdych 6-2 7-6 (7-3) 6-2 today.
Tomic entered the match with great hope after taking the Czech star to four sets at Wimbledon twice during his short career.
But Tomic started in the worst way possible as Berdych broke him twice to take a quick 3-0 lead. From there, he struggled to recover.
Tomic saved a set point at 2-5 and then had a break point but framed his backhand return from a second serve and it sailed wide.
Berdych didn't waste his next chance to serve out the set and won 6-2 in only 27 minutes. Tomic won just one point from Berdych's first serve during the set.
Tomic found himself in trouble early in the second set too but saved two break points in the third game and held serve.
The games went on serve for most of the set but Berdych lifted when it mattered and had a huge chance to take a 5-4 lead. But Tomic saved three break points and held to keep himself in the hunt.
The trend of tiebreaks between the pair during grand slams continued and Berdych made it four wins from five attempts across three tournaments.
Tomic had to start well during the third set if he wanted to keep the match alive but he got broken in just the second game and it made his battle tough. Berdych broke him again to close out the match.
Australia haven't had two players in the Australian Open quarter finals since the tournament moved from Kooyong to Melbourne Park in 1988. Wally Masur and Pat Cash both made the quarter finals in 1987.
Cash, Pat Rafter, Mark Woodforde and Lleyton Hewitt are the only Australians to make the quarter finals since the move but none have done it at the same time. Hewitt was the last quarter finalist. That happened in 2005 when he finished runner up.
Teenager Nick Kyrgios will attempt to keep Australia's hopes alive when he plays Italian giant killer Andrea Seppi this afternoon. Seppi beat world number two Roger Federer on Friday.
