Former world number 17 Bernard Tomic came close to winning his third title in a row last week. At the ITF event in Harlingen, Tomic reached the final before being edged out by Martin Damm 6-7(4), 6-3, 6-4. Tomic, who captured back-to-back ITF titles in Cancun earlier this month, also won his first four matches in Harlingen to take his victory to 14 match wins in a row.
Unfortunately for Tomic, he missed out on his 15th straight win and third consecutive title.
How did Tomic lose to Damm?
Tomic earned the first break of the match in the 11th game to open a 6-5 lead, but lost a set point in the next game when Damm stepped back to force a tie break.
Not serving for the first set didn’t affect Tomic, who earned his second set point in the tie break to win a tight first set. After dropping the first set, Damm rallied in the second set when he broke Tomic in the first and ninth games to send the match to a decider.
In the first game of the third set, Tomic broke Damm and was leading 4-2 after the first six games of the decider. Tomic’s game then collapsed as Damm broke the Australian in two straight matches to win four games in a row and complete a comeback.
Although Tomic didn’t win, it was another promising sign on his comeback journey. «I’ve had a lot of hate in my life. But I can’t give up. Don’t you think I see the hate comments? It hurts,» Tomic said in December.
“In the past I used to let it get to me and react out of stupidity. But now I’m using it for fuel. Now I’m back. I’m hungry, and I’m ready. No one can stop me now except me. “I’m training, I’m sweating, I’m pushing, I’m fired up.
Whatever it takes to get back on top. Hard work has its reward. I have put my blood, sweat and tears into this sport. I’ve been back before. It’s time to set the record straight.»
