Teenage prodigy Bernard Tomic believes he's on an inevitable path to the world's top 100 this year after claiming the biggest scalp of his burgeoning career at the Australian Open today.
A wildcard entrant at the season-opening grand slam event, Tomic gunned down world No.44 Jeremy Chardy 6-3 6-2 7-6 (7-5) to reach the second round at Melbourne Park for the third successive year.
Brushing off flak for barely playing a match for the last six months of 2010, Tomic said he was now reaping the rewards for using his time off court to bulk up and work on his power game.
The 18-year-old has added 5kg to his now 91kg, 193cm frame and the extra height and weight has vastly improved his serve in particular, with Tomic now topping the 200kph mark for his first delivery.
There is not a single teenager in the top 100, but Australia's two-time junior grand slam champion - currently ranked a career-high No.199 - is convinced he can change all that in 2011. "I played well as a junior.
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That's totally different to the senior level," he said.
"But I'm stepping up and beating all these players now. It's just a matter of time before I win a lot of matches in a row in a tournament. "It's going to be a new year. I'm going to play a lot more tournaments.
I want to break the top hundred.
It's tough, but if I play more tournaments this year, I've got a good shot."
Tomic is now clearly hitting the ball much harder from the back of the court instead of "pushing it".
"Once I build my athleticism, I'll be much better at controlling points," he said. "I think I control the points really good now at my age.
I've worked on that the last six months - taking the short ball on the first chance.
"If my body is feeling fit and (I) can run around the forehand or take that first chance and step in, I think it will develop."
Tomic was in control against Chardy from virtually start to finish, calmly fighting off two set points in the third set, before clinching the tiebreaker and the match with a scorching backhand cross-court pass.
Another upset victory over Spain's 31st seed Feliciano Lopez on Thursday would likely pit Tomic into a blockbuster third-round encounter with world No.1 Rafael Nadal.
"Lopez can play really good and just blow you off the court," Tomic said. "But if I prepare and play well like I did today, I think I've got a good chance."
