Bernard Tomic has done his best to scupper suggestions he is a tanker with an epic five-set fightback win in his opening round US Open match last night.
Monday was a good opening day for the Aussies, with 17-year-old Ashleigh Barty through to the women’s second round.
After being accused of tanking at last year’s tournament, Tomic fought back from two sets to one and a break down to beat Spain’s Albert Ramos 6-3 3-6 4-6 7-6 (7-1) 6-3 in a tussle lasting almost four hours.
His reward is a second-round match against Daniel Evans after the British qualifier surprisingly ousted 12th seed Kei Nishikori 6-4 6-4 6-2.
Tomic was in command during the first set, grabbing early control with a flurry of drop shots and powerful forehands to race out to a 5-0 lead.
In the sixth game he took his foot off the pedal to allow Ramos into the set but quickly regained control to take it out in just 33 minutes.
Momentum shifted strongly the Spaniard’s way in the second set as he lifted his first-serve percentage and broke Tomic to level the match.
In the third set, Tomic dropped his service early and was unable to crack Ramos despite numerous opportunities, eventually succumbing 6-4.
Tomic was looking down the barrel of another early grand slam exit when the Spaniard went ahead a break in the fourth set.
But the Queenslander clawed back a service break and capitalised on the Spaniard’s dwindling first serve percentage – and what looked to be a leg injury – to win a one-sided tiebreaker.
In the final set, Tomic played smart tennis, moving Ramos around the court before breaking serve in the fifth game.
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He closed out the match with another service break, continuing his strong record in five-set matches on tour, where he has won five of six encounters that have gone the distance.
Ashleigh Barty is through to the second round of the US Open after a 6-1 6-4 defeat of world No.102 Spaniard Estrella Cabeza Canedela.
The 17-year-old is through to the second round of a grand slam for the second time in her career, following her early round success at Roland Garros this year.
Barty will also pair up with fellow Australian Casey Dellacqua in the doubles .
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