Tomic tanks match point by trying to hit ball with handle

During first-round action at the Mutua Madrid Open earlier this week, Bernard Tomic tanked the last point of his match against Fabio Fognini by “attempting” to return serve with the handle of his racket. Not surprisingly, it resulted in a clinching ace for Fognini.

Tomic trailed 6-2, 5-4, 40-0 at the time.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sw-ojdDFU_g

VIDEO: Tomic faces match point with handle, goes as well as expected.https://t.co/gBsTOhYx3T pic.twitter.com/0HXMJtkEPo

— Sporting News Australia (@sportingnewsau) May 4, 2016

This is not, of course, the first time Tomic has failed to give his best effort. At the 2014 Miami Open, the Australian lost the shortest completed match in tennis history–28 minutes and 20 seconds. He actually managed to win a game but fell to Jarkko Nieminen 6-0, 6-1. Earlier this season in Sydney, Tomic told chair umpire Mohamed Lahyani during a changeover that he was not interested in this tournament because he had to reach the final to add ranking points and because he had a good draw at the upcoming Australian Open. The 23-year-old eventually retired while trailing Teymuraz Gabashvili 6-3, 3-0.

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