Tomic eyes place in top four
Rising teenage star Bernard Tomic, unbowed after a harsh tennis lesson from Roger Federer at the Australian Open, says he could gatecrash the men's top four as early as next year.
The Swiss 16-time grand slam champion gave a masterclass in guile and big-match experience in Sunday's clinical 6-4, 6-2, 6-2 win over the 19-year-old Australian to set up a quarterfinal with Juan Martin del Potro.
It ended Tomic's run of success in Melbourne, during which he wowed the home crowds with victories over seeds Fernando Verdasco and Alexandr Dolgopolov.
But Tomic, who last year became the youngest man in 25 years to reach the quarterfinals of Wimbledon, is far from deflated by the loss to his boyhood hero and has his sights set on a place among the men's elite.
The 'Big Four' of Federer, world No 1 Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray currently exert an iron grip at the top of the men's game but Tomic is undaunted.
"I think, you know, it could be very soon," Tomic said of his chances of breaking into the top four. "The next, you know, year, year-and-a-half, if I improve my body and get stronger.
"But I think until then I can play great tennis this year and... take my ranking to a good spot this year."
Tomic, who has already tested himself against each of the top four, coming off second best each time, predicted he would climb the rankings from his current position of 38, enabling him to be seeded at grand slams and therefore avoid the big names early on.
"I'm just happy I don't have to defend any points for six months. I can play tournaments and play relaxed and know I'm just going to go up. Every match I win I go up."
Tomic shook his head in admiration during Sunday's match as a stream of winners flew from Federer's racquet.
"The harder I hit it, you know, the ball comes back in a different corner and ends up always being a winner.
"It's very strange. Never did experience my balls that I hit that hard to come back and to be a winner. It's good to watch, you know. Even for me, you know, playing, I enjoy watching it."