Australian firebrand Tomic leads challenge of the new generation

Away from the big guns of Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray sits Bernard Tomic – an 18-year-old Australian of German descent.

Tomic, a qualifier at SW19, hails from the Gold Coast and is Australia’s latest firebrand, following in the footsteps of Mark Philippoussis and Lleyton Hewitt.

He went one better than Hewitt on Saturday, though, knocking out fifth seed Robin Soderling in three sets, righting the perceived wrong of the Swede’s five-set comeback against Hewitt in the second round.

He goes up against Xavier Malisse today – he could have been given a harder task – and his progress up the ladder has been noted by some of the leading lights.

“Tomic is still lower in the rankings but it seems like he’s making a run,” said Federer, a comparative elder statesman at 29, who recognises the talent coming through.

“It’s good for tennis if new generations move in. When you’re at the practice courts, you see how well these guys are hitting the ball,” he said.

“The next generation is pushing through, too, which is going to make the generation of 21-year-olds aware of that and keep them wanting to improve.

“When I was that age I thought it was stressful to some degree, because everyone is expecting you to break through, and if you don’t, people always ask ‘what’s wrong with you man?’

“There are interesting times for tennis right now.”

It certainly promises to be interesting when defending champion Nadal takes on Juan Martin del Potro.

The 24th seed is back on tour and back on song after a lengthy absence with a wrist injury and Nadal’s claim that he belongs in the top five was strengthened when the current incumbent of fifth place, Soderling, was dumped out by Tomic.

Del Potro will, no doubt, be zoning in on making the current ‘big four’ a quintet and, if he does, it will make the competition at the head of the men’s game even stronger.

Former champions Jimmy Connors and John McEnroe have recently suggested that the top men are too friendly with each other but, with a number of them likely to collide this week, Nadal believes their comradeship is healthy for the sport.

“I think it is better, better than another way,” said the Mallorcan.

“For the kids especially, the education is special. Something very, very important. If the kids watching us saw us fight every week, probably in the future they will do the same and in my opinion, that is not a good way for the world to work.

“This is the game. What happens outside of the court doesn’t affect what’s going to happen inside the court. We can be talking in the locker room before the match and that doesn’t affect what happens when we walk on the court.”

For his part, Federer will look to move one step closer to a ninth Wimbledon final and a seventh crown when he takes on Mikhail Youzhny, while Murray goes up against old sparring partner Richard Gasquet.

Murray took a memorable five-setter between the pair in 2008 and the British No 1 knows how dangerous opponent Gasquet can be.

“He’s a very talented player,” he said.

“I’ve played him many times. I grew up playing with him. He’s been in the top 10 in the world before. He beat Federer in Rome a few months ago and he’s given guys a lot of problems in the past.”

Gasquet’s fellow Frenchman Michael Llodra has the unenviable task of trying to stop Novak Djokovic, who has lost just one of his 45 matches this year.

He dropped a set against Marcos Baghdatis on Saturday, though, and has targeted a number of areas in his game he would like to improve before he meets the 19th seed on Court One.

“Llodra is a great server. He’s playing fantastically at Wimbledon and I think grass courts are his favourite surface,” he said. “It’s going to be a tough one.

“I need to work on my serve and my return and hopefully it can work well for me.”

Djokovic has vowed not to curb his aggression after he smashed his racquet in a fit of rage during his thrilling four-set victory over Baghdatis.

The Serb edged the first set before going to pieces in a second set that had to be halted when he smashed his racquet on the turf three times after losing a rally.

Djokovic was let off with a warning and regained his composure to clinch a 6-4 4-6 6-3 6-4 victory.

He admits the outburst did not look good, but insists that his fiery streak is an important part of his armoury and will not curb his passion for the remainder of the tournament.

“I did lose my temper but sometimes, in my case, that helps, even though it doesn’t look great,” said the Australian Open champion.

“It was frustrating, I cannot lie, but I came back from it and I’m not going to change who I am.

“I can work on some things, but my temper is my temper. My character is my character. You have to try to take the best out of it, not change it.”

Djokovic admits he will have to up his game to win his first Wimbledon. He had to dig deep to beat Baghdatis and was second-best on many occasions to the Cypriot, who enjoyed the occasion thoroughly by lapping up the support of the fans.

Djokovic was impressed with the 26-year-old’s performance and the atmosphere on Centre Court.

“I have been here a few years now and in that time there were not many moments when I saw practically all the stadium on their feet,” he added.

“It was incredible. It was exciting to see the Centre Court of Wimbledon being so enthusiastic about the match and for me as a player, I have to appreciate that and be happy I was a part of the exciting match.”

The remaining last-16 ties are played out between last year’s runner-up Tomas Berdych and Mardy Fish, Lukasz Kubot and Feliciano Lopez and David Ferrer and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.