In the heat of Melbourne Bernard Tomic takes an early afternoon siesta, but wakes up right on time to level up the rubber between Australia and USA
At 1:30PM the temperature is over 30C: in these hot conditions Bernard Tomic and Jack Sock start the second rubber on Kooyong’s grass. The match is completely different from the previous rubber between Isner and Groth, with both players on the baseline and long(ish) rallies, usually ended by a trivial unforced error, with a framed ball landing meters off court (the statistics say 35 forced and 35 unforced errors for Tomic and 29 unforced and 53 forced for Sock, but the scoring person has been very generous rating some errors as forced). And so the first set goes to the tie break without too many emotions, which Tomic easily takes with some good winners and a forehand return by Sock landing out: 7-6(2).
Something then happens in the second set: it’s 3-2 Sock when Tomic starts pushing more, alternating his sliced backhand (3/4 court but very low on which Sock cannot hit his forehand) to a flat one, deep on Sock’s backhand. With 16 points to 3 Tomic flies to 5-3 and then takes the set with a return on the line which Sock then frames: 6-3.
It looks like Tomic is cruising now and takes the first game of the third set. Then the Aussie literally falls asleep, losing mobility, losing intensity, letting Sock control the game and making a plethora of unforced errors: 4 unforced errors in the third game count more than 2 winning serves and Tomic is broken a first time. Regardless the Fanatics’ effort to keep Bernie alert with a high dose of loud sound, Tomic appears lethargic, while Sock’s forehand is as effective as ugly to watch. On 5-3 the American gets 2 set points: Tomic sends an easy forehand in the net and the US re-open the match.
Nothing changes in the fourth set till 4-4 when Tomic appears to slowly wake up. In the next game a good defense and Sock sending an overhead out, and an inside out forehand winner (a total of 22 for him and 30 for Sock) give Tomic 2 break points: he converts the second with a forehand in the net by Sock. Tomic is now serving for the match and delivers: a couple of winners and an unforced by Sock give him 3 match points: the first one is enough with Sock sending out the return: 7-6(2), 6-3, 3-6, 6-4. Australia 1 – USA 1 and everybody runs inside just before the thunderstorm.
“The support Hewitt gave me at the change of ends was fundamental. He told me the right things from the start and his support when I was starting having negative thoughts in the third set was fundamental” said Tomic at the press conference. “Winning today was very important to build confidence. I’ve never won in the two previous matches with Sock, as I have not won in the previous match with Isner, but this is the surface [grass] where I can win. I have to return well, I am serving well, and will play my chances.”
Tomorrow at 12PM Groth and Peers will try to upset the Bryan Bros, unless Lleyton Hewitt is setting up a surprise …
From Melbourne: Robbie Cappuccio
