One win at the French Open starting next week would be a good result for troubled star Bernard Tomic, according to Tennis Australia’s Todd Woodbridge.
Woodbridge said Tomic would line up at Roland Garros despite being embroiled in the recent controversy involving his father John.
But he said expectations on the Australian No.1 were low.
“I think it’s very important that he plays there but whether he has a good result or not is probably unlikely given the surface and the circumstances,” Woodbridge said.
“But he needs to keep playing coming into the grasscourt season – that’s where he’s played some great tennis before and if you don’t get that little bit of match play, it’s hard to get the momentum going.”
John Tomic is awaiting trial on a charge he head-butted Bernard’s training partner, Frenchman Thomas Drouet, in Madrid earlier this month.
The world No.53 later lost in the first round of the Madrid Masters before pulling out of the Rome Masters.
Woodbridge said Bernard would have Tennis Australia’s support in Paris through Davis Cup coach Josh Eagle, although John Tomic, while banned indefinitely from all ATP and ITF tournaments, would still have a major influence.
“John is still his coach so he may not be on site but he’s still going to be giving the instructions – their relationship is still strong,” Woodbridge said.
Woodbridge was convinced Bernard would not let the current controversy affect his form.
“He can handle that side of things – there’s been plenty of it so far,” he said.
“Winning a match would be great and if he gets a tough draw just playing a really tight, solid match. I think that’s his first goal.”
Australia’s women’s assault will be led by former French finalist and US Open winner Sam Stosur, who has been fighting to overcome a calf injury.
Despite her interrupted season Woodbridge said Stosur was in his top four players who could win in Paris.
“The calf injury’s the thing that’s halted her. Other than that she’s been striking the ball well but she is the sort of player who needs a lot of matches under her belt and plays with momentum,” he said.
Stosur boosted her confidence in Rome last week when she stretched world No.3 Victoria Azarenka – who Woodbridge described as her worst match-up on tour – to three sets in the quarter-finals.
Woodbridge, meanwhile, described Australian French Open wildcard Ashleigh Barty as a player “on a steady rise to the top.”
“If she can get a decent draw, she will win a round and she is certainly very close to knocking off some of the big guns in women’s tennis,” he said.
Australian Open junior champion Nick Kyrgios has taken injured countryman John Millman’s wildcard entry into the men’s main draw.
