Aussie veteran's impressive run continues in Mexico
By Nicholas Zorbas
Bernard Tomic's rise back up the rankings looks set to continue after another win on the ATP Tour. -AAP Image
Bernard Tomic is back in Mexico and hoping his recent good run of form can continue deep into the Los Cabos ATP 250 hard-court event.
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Having tasted title success twice at lower-level tournaments in Cancun four years ago, the former top Australian male and world No.17 opted not to risk playing a second qualifying match against American Tristan Boyer and waited to take his place in the main draw following several withdrawals.
Tomic lost in qualifying for February's event in Acapulco, but returned to Central America and needed just 47 minutes to wrap up a 6-1 6-0 round-of-32 rout over local qualifier, and world No.498, Alex Hernandez.
The 33-year-old broke in games two and four of the opening set and three more times in a crushing second on Monday (Tuesday AEST).
Tomic's singles ranking currently sits at 171, the best it's been since last September, thanks to a Challenger tournament win earlier this month at the hard-court event in Lincoln, USA.
It was his biggest title success since the Chengdu ATP 250 event back in 2018 and he will next take on world No.26 and fourth seed Karen Khachanov, who enjoyed a first-round bye in southwest Mexico.
Fellow Aussies Rinky Hijikata, Adam Walton and James Duckworth are also in action later in the week, as will top-seeded Czech Jiri Lehecka.
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