A “depressed” Bernard Tomic says he wants to return to tennis after bringing his stint on Channel Ten’s I’m A Celebrity … Get Me Out of Here to an early end.

The 25-year-old said his short time in the jungle had brought into focus what he really wanted to do with his life.

“Half the time during the day, I’m just depressed,” he told fellow contestant Jackie Gillies.

“I’ve never really had time to think about my thoughts. I’ve always had people around, my mobile phone … everything was so fast-paced.

“Everything’s slowed down in the last few days. I don’t want to spend half my time depressed here … thinking about how I played last year and where I should be.”

“I wasted this whole last year of not playing a lot of tennis and being professional.

“I need to be competing and playing in what I do best and that’s why I’ve decided to leave.”

Earlier on Tuesday, Australian captain Lleyton Hewitt told a press conference that a return to the Davis Cup fold appeared “highly doubtful”.

Prior to the announcement that Tomic was leaving the jungle former teammate Sam Groth said the former world No.17 was ‘not in a good place’.

“He’s definitely in a strange place. I think a lot of people tuned into TV the last few nights just to see where he’s at … he’s not in a good place,” Groth told Melbourne radio station SEN.

“You watch what he’s talking about on TV and I think it fully reflects all the stuff that he’s probably dealing with. I’m not sure going off into the jungle is the way to go.

“I think he’s got some deep-seated issues that he needs to talk to someone with. Whatever he’s struggling with right now, I don’t know if coming back on the tennis court is really going to help.”

Australian readers seeking support and information about depression can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14.