Bernard Tomic compares current generation with old top-10: “Back then it was much tougher”

Bernard Tomic compared today’s era of tennis with the old top-10 during his peak. he Australian reached his career-high ranking as world No. 17 in early 2016, when players like Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray were dominating the Tour.

The talented former player acknowledged that although the current generation has many great players, he believes his era was much more competitive. Tomic appeared on the Australian podcast The Changeover, where he shared his thoughts on the current state of tennis.

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Tomic praised the physicality and talent of some of today’s top players. Not only was world No. 1 Jannik Sinner among those mentioned, but he also reacted to 19-year-old Jakub Mensik, recent Miami Open champion and first-time Masters 1000 winner.

“I look at Sinner, I look at Mensik yesterday, beating Novak [Djokovic] in the final,” he said. “These guys hit the c— out of the ball and of course, hitting the ball big in tennis and accurate is an advantage. Sinner and these guys, they’re huge champions, the way they strike the ball is completely insane and the way they move as well.”

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However, Tomic argued that the current generation is still far from the level seen when Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal ruled the Tour. “Back in my prime when I was top 20, top ten, it was a tougher period,” he said. “With Federer, Nadal, Djokovic, Murray, all these guys, Berdych, Del Potro, I think that was the prime of tennis.”

In early 2016, when Tomic reached No. 17 – his career-best ranking – the ATP was led by Novak Djokovic, with Andy Murray and Roger Federer completing the podium.

Tomic reached his best ATP ranking in 2016 as world No. 17

There were also major legends still in the top-10, including Rafael Nadal, Tomas Berdych, David Ferrer and Kei Nishikori. “Obviously I didn’t win Slams or go anywhere near that, but I still played in the toughest era that tennis has ever been [in],” the Aussie former player added. “I think I lost many times in the round of 16, once in the quarterfinals to a lot of those guys that were there, like Federer, Nadal, Murray, Berdych, it was pretty difficult back then.”

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“Now tennis has changed, the top ten for me is not like it was ten, 15 years ago, guys like Berdych, Del Potro, incredible players,” he said. “I see the guys in the top ten now, they’re still good don’t get me wrong but if some of those guys had to play Berdych or Del Potro it would be 8-2 or 7-3 [in the head-to-head], they’re not going to match up well, you know what I mean.”

“Maybe I would’ve slipped another semi-final of a Slam if they weren’t there in that period,” concluded Tomic.

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