Andy Murray and Bernard Tomic share the commonality of being dismissed in the first round of the Australian Open.
It is common to both also that no one expected much from either man.
Murray has a surgically repaired hip that is not cooperating with regard to life in general, let along with regard to playing top-flight tennis.
He has announced that he will retire following Wimbledon 2019. He drew the 22nd seed, Roberto Bautista Agut for his first opponent and surprisingly extended the match to five sets, coming from down to sets to force a fifth by takings sets three and four from tiebreakers.
His comeback may have left him feeling as though he might be considering holding on, having additional corrective surgery performed and rehabilitating in hopes of returning to the court and playing pain free.
After the match, he told reporters and the crowd all the typical comments expected, about how he loved playing in Melbourne and so forth, but he then said, “…I don’t know, maybe I’ll see you again. I’ll do everything possible to try.”
Murray is just 31, which is young by tennis standards these days and he is considering additional surgery mainly to improve his general quality of life, more so than extending his career.
As for Tomic, well he was Tomic.
His misfortune was to draw Marin Cilic for a first round opponent and the sixth seeded Cilic surged to a two sets to none lead before needing a tiebreak to win in straight sets.
An hour after the match, he broke from his usual pattern of claiming disinterest, instead choosing to sledge Aussie Davis Cup captain Lleyton Hewitt.
“It’s all Lleyton. I’m going to say it honestly — no one likes him anymore,” Tomic said.
Any other similarity between Tomic and Murray, beyond the first round Australian Open exit, is strictly coincidental.
Hewitt had better apply extra skin-thickening ointment, as later today, Nick Kyrgios faces Canada’s Milos Raonic and Kyrgios may be looking for a scapegoat in what would seem to be a first round adios.
