Teenaged Tomic scores heroic win at home

By Bill Scott Jan 16, 2012, 9:31 GMT

Melbourne - Australia's teenage hope Bernard Tomic took a huge step in a promising career Monday, thrilling a sold-out show-court crowd by winning a marathon over Spain's Fernando Verdasco 4-6, 6-7 (3-7), 6-4, 6-2, 7-5 to reach the second round of the Australian Open.

The number 37 lost the first two sets but rallied, driven by the cheers of a home public hungry for a new champion as Lleyton Hewitt's career goes into eclipse. The last Australian man to win the singles title was Mark Edmondson in 1976.

It was Tomic's second career comeback. He took the win in 30-degree heat to next face American Sam Querrey, a winner over Kenny De Schepper of France 6-3, 6-2, 6-2.

The 19-year-old missed three set points in the second set, but his fighting spirit eventually prevailed in a match lasting four hours, 11 minutes.

'A lot of things went through my head when I lost the second set,' said Tomic, winner of the AAMI Classic at the weekend at Melbourne's Kooyong club. 'I don't know how I found the energy to lift. It had to be the crowd.'

'Today was not fun. It was torture,' he said. 'But I'm the happiest person alive right now.'

Four men's seed went through with Hopman Cup winner Tomas Berdych, the number seven, beating Spain's Albert Ramos 7-5, 4-6, 6-2, 6-3 and AAMI finalist and eighth seed Mardy Fish defeating Gilles Mueller 6-4, 6-4, 6-2.

Tenth seed Nicolas Almagro got a win for Spain over Pole Lukasz Kubot 1-6, 7-5, 6-3, 7-5 while Argentine number 11 Juan Del Potro came back against Frenchman Adrian Mannarino 2-6, 6-1, 7-5, 6-4.

Del Potro, who missed most of the 2010 season after wrist surgery, was still in comeback mode but stands just outside the top 10 after once reaching fourth in the world.

'I have the same goal: to play healthy all the year,' he said. '... This is a tournament to see where my game is and hopefully be ready for the next round and keep playing well.'

Women's third seed Victoria Azarenka earned the first win of the fortnight 6-1, 6-0 over Briton Heather Watson.

Last week's Sydney champion was untouchable in her runaway win over the 19-year-old, ranked 106th and playing the open for the first time.

The match was over in 67 minutes with Azarenka to line up next against Australian wild card Casey Dellacqua, a winner over Serb Bojana Jovanovski 6-3, 6-2.

Azrenka wore shorts as heat returned to Melbourne after a week of cold, windy, rainy weather.

'The score is easy,' the seed said. 'To actually play the match, it's never easy. I only hit here once before the match. The first time I actually hit on centre court was today in the morning.

'It was a good performance, but there are a few things to work on to be better in the second round, but I take what I get. I cannot complain.'

French Open winner Li Na, seeded fifth, beat Ksenia Pervak 6-3, 6-1, and eighth seed Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland won a struggle with Bethanie Mattek-Sands 6-7 (10-12), 6-4, 6-2. China's Peng Shuai stopped Aravane Rezai of France 6-3, 6-4.