Bernard Tomic has vowed to resume tennis training as soon as he returns to Australia from the African jungle.
The fallen star has regretted the timing of his reality TV stint saying it interrupted his recent renewed focus on his career, which included his failed Australian Open qualification bid.
The 25-year-old has left the Ten Network's I'm A Celebrity ... Get Me Out of Here after three days but said his appearance had brought into focus what he wanted to do.
"After being there for a couple days, it made me depressed and it made me a bit sad and I didn't want to continue doing that to myself," Tomic told News Corp Australia.
"I need to get back on the court.
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"I just started recently to get back and feeling good. I won a couple of matches at the Australian Open in the quallies (qualifiers).
"I just regret leaving that last month-and-a-half behind. It wasn't the right thing for me to do."
Some social media users have likened Tomic's decision to quit the jungle to his often apathetic attitude towards tennis.
But Tomic, ranked 168 in the world after an abysmal last season, believes he can return to the top 20, which he occupied for periods during 2015-16, despite conceding he'll "never love the game".
The Gold Coast product said he initially thought using the show to get away from tennis was a good idea but has admitted being wrong.
"I'm disappointed in myself for not making the right decision for myself prior to leaving. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed every bit of it," he said.
"I've got to get back to where I belong. It might take me six months, but everyday's going to be a step closer and everyday I spend out there is a day I lose.
"As soon as I get back I'll be training, getting ready to go to particularly tournaments and stuff and where I should be in the sport, in the top 20, top 15 and push for the top five in the world.
"Time's very important now."
Tomic's departure from the show on Tuesday came as Australian captain Lleyton Hewitt said a return to the Davis Cup fold appeared "highly doubtful".
Tomic claimed before entering the jungle Australia needed his playing services to win the Davis Cup.
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."
Australian readers seeking support and information about depression can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14.
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