Mere $3600 brutal reality shakes Aussie ATP champion who simultaneously achieves victory with Jannik Sinner

For going into the first round of the Grand Slam qualifier, a player receives $31,250 while a wildcard into the main draw would net $120,000.

Mere $3600 brutal reality shakes Aussie ATP champion who simultaneously achieves victory with Jannik Sinner

(L) Bernard Tomic in the middle; (R) Jannik Sinner with the AO trophy (Via ITF/Australian Open)

Aussie Bernard Tomic won the M25 Chennai tournament on the ITF World Tennis Tour on Sunday, the same day Jannik Sinner won his first Grand Slam title at the Australian Open. However, the stark contrast between a picture of the Aussie with the ITF Chennai trophy and the Italian lifting the Melbourne trophy is a brutal reality of the inequality in prize money for tournaments.

While Jannik Sinner earned the biggest Australian Open prize money in history, $3.15 million for winning his maiden major title, Tomic, the US Open junior champion pocketed just merely $3,600 from his win in Chennai, India.

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According to Channel Seven, Tomic earned an additional roughly $100 for his first-round defeat in the doubles. This means the Australian player’s earnings for the tournament would have just about covered his flight and hotel costs.

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In fact, the amount the Aussie received is a fraction of what players who competed in qualifying for the Australian Open receive. For going into the first round of the Grand Slam qualifier, a player receives $31,250 while a wildcard into the main draw would net $120,000. But Tomic’s strained relationship with Tennis Australia would make it very unlikely to be awarded a wildcard.

However, playing in the ITF Tour is not where the Aussie once lauded as a Grand Slam challenger would be wanting to play. While Jannik Sinner secured his stunning comeback victory against Daniil Medvedev at the Australian Open final, Tomic was whacking it out with Indian Sasi Kumar Mukund in the heat of Chennai, India.

Reflective Bernard Tomic believes he is to be blamed for downfall

In a recent interview with Daily Mail, Bernard Tomic blamed himself for his wrong attitude to the sport he loves in his mid-20s.

Bernard Tomic
Bernard Tomic (Source: GH Gossip)

Tomic lifted his most significant ATP title in Chengdu in September 2018, was at one point ranked World No.17 but currently is at No.302 in the world. In August 2022, the Aussie plummeted to World No.825, his lowest ranking in 14 years. In recent months, the 31-year-old has continued to work on rebuilding his tennis career. In his last three seasons, he won five ITF singles titles, including four at M15 events.

Tomic recently said: 

Everyone has a different journey. You can't control destiny. You learn to respect life and the little things. If I did the right things at 20-24, I was not very professional. I worked extremely hard, but if I had done a few things right, who knows.

At the ITF Chennai tournament, the 31-year-old was by far the biggest name in the 32-man players list and the number one seed. Tomic only lost one set through four matches at the tournament, but pictures of him lifting the winner’s trophy and playing in India were the bane of the decline of the once highly-praised potential.

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