Bernard Tomic’s new coach will still have to work with his banned father, says Tennis Australia’s Todd Woodbridge.
Tomic is expected to announce his new coach next month in the wake of the one-year tournament ban on father and coach John for headbutting Frenchman Thomas Drouet in Madrid in May.
Woodbridge, who is Tennis Australia’s head of professional tennis, says John is still coaching his son.
“I do work in a lot with the family, with Bernard, with his Dad, John, who is still his coach,” Woodbridge said in Adelaide on Monday.
“John is still there and will always be an essential part of Bernard’s career, regardless of whether he’s the coach on court that day.
“So whoever takes that (coaching) role will need to work in tandem in that partnership.”
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Woodbridge believed Tomic, Australia’s top-ranked player at No.51, was better placed to deal with the pressures of top-line tennis because of his troubled year.
“It has been a difficult year; it has been a year when he has really had to mature,” Woodbridge said.
“Bernard is ready to become more consistent, and that is what he needs to do. If he can do that on a week-in, week-out basis, he’s a definite top-20 player.
“I think he’s the one that has the potential to win a Wimbledon – that is best surface for him.”
Tomic was the catalyst for Australia’s return to the Davis Cup world group, being the star performer against Poland in last month’s playoff tie in Warsaw.
And Woodbridge, describing the current batch of young Australian men’s talent as “the most exciting it has been for a long time”, forecast a continued key role for evergreen Lleyton Hewitt for at least another year in the Davis Cup.
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“He has no intentions of stopping and that is a wonderful thing because I know, for the young group of players, to see how hard he works, how motivated he is – he is inspiring,” Woodbridge said.
“This season is about the first time in five that he has gone through the season uninjured and been able to play a proper schedule.
“We have seen what he is still capable of with the US Open so it’s fantastic to see him still out there.”
Woodbridge was in Adelaide for the launch of the World Tennis Challenge.
The January 2014 events features ageing tennis legends and future talent.
Hall of Famer Martina Navratilova, who turns 57 on Friday, heads the bill along with 51 year old former world No.1 Tracy Austin.
Seven-time Grand Slam Champion Mats Wilander, who turns 50 next year, will be joined in the mens section by 53 year old French Open Champion Yannick Noah.
The grey nomads will be joined by South Australia’s young star, Thanasi Kokkinakis a 17-year old who this year won Wimbledon’s junior doubles competition with playing partner Nick Kyrgios.
The exhibition event is played over three nights at Memorial Drive Tennis Centre from 7 January to 9 January 2014.
Tickets are a tick under $20 for adults and $9.90 for children.
