LINCOLN, Neb. (KOLN) – 33-year-old Bernard Tomic believed his days of competitive tennis were nearly behind him.
“A couple weeks ago I said this was my last year,” Tomic said. “I guess I’ve got to reassess things now.”
Tomic won the ATP Lincoln Challenger singles title. The No. 8 seed beat No. 5 seed Mark Lajal in a highly competitive match, winning 4-6, 7-6, 7-6.
“It was ridiculous match. He’s a heck of a player,” he said. “It was good to put on a show.”
The Australian said he’s been trying to win a Challenger title for the past four years. He’s ranked as high as No. 17 in his career, and he entered this week ranked No. 206. Following his performance, he said he’s eyeing a spot in the US Open.
“Tennis is a confidence sport, so I take away a lot of confidence and lead into the next couple of weeks, whatever I’m playing,” he said. “Let’s see how it goes. ”
The Challenger event celebrated its third year in Lincoln. Tomic commended the tournament.
“Great environment, great vibe… the people having a blast,” he said. “For such a little event they did a really good thing, so I’m happy the way it turned out.
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