Bernard Tomic is currently positioned two wins away from securing a spot in the main draw of the French Open, a stark contrast to the performances of his fellow Australian hopefuls. Tomic's progress, marked by a hard-fought three-set victory over Moez Echargui, offers a flicker of success amid a wider "qualifying nightmare" for Australians in Paris.
Tomic's current standing places him just two wins shy of the main draw, a position he has reached by overcoming Echargui in a gruelling 3-6, 7-5, 6-3 match that lasted two hours.
On the opening day of qualifying, Tomic stood as the sole Australian man to advance, while four others — Dane Sweeny, Alex Bolt, Christopher O'Connell, and Taylah Preston — faced defeats. This solitary success contrasts sharply with the earlier days of the tournament where other Australians, such as Jason Kubler, have also been eliminated.
Tomic, now ranked 195 in the world and 33 years of age, has been on a significant climb from a ranking of 825 just four years ago. His participation in this Grand Slam qualifying event marks his closest chance at a main draw appearance in over five years. He is slated to face Italian teenager Federico Cina in his next match. Notably, neither Tomic nor Cina has previously reached the main draw of the French Open.
The wider Australian contingent already in the French Open main draw includes Alex de Minaur (seeded), Alexei Popyrin, James Duckworth, Thanasi Kokkinakis, Aleksandar Vukic, Rinky Hijikata, and Adam Walton (wildcard). In the women's field, Ajla Tomljanovic and 19-year-old Maya Joint have also made significant progress in their respective events.
Recent reports from May 2025 indicate a period of struggle for Tomic, with a previous exit from French Open qualifying after defeating Coleman Wong in the first round. At that time, Tomic was 32 years old. The mention of "fallen tennis star" and "fresh blow" from earlier reporting suggests a recurring narrative of attempting comebacks against difficult circumstances.
