As a young teen , Bernard Tomic boasted he would win all four grand slams and become world No . 1 . They were big words indeed . So far , though , the 21-year-old 's indiscretions far outnumber any achievements with his tennis racquet . Yet local hopes will realistically rest on the former junior No . 1 when the Australian Open begins next week , given the home struggles of the nation 's top female player , Samantha Stosur . Tomic has had brushes with the law -- caught speeding on multiple occasions , including once in his Ferrari -- been accused of a `` tank job '' at a grand slam and admitted himself he has n't always given 100 % in matches . In November he was photographed topless and receiving a lapdance at a nightclub on Australia 's eastern Gold Coast . Call him tennis ' tainted talent . But if you think that 's bad , wait until you hear about his dad , John . He had long been labeled one of those difficult tennis parents even before being given an eight-month suspended sentence in September for headbutting his son 's former hitting partner , Thomas Drouet . Drouet later claimed in a diary published by Australian newspaper the Herald Sun that John had punched Bernard after a dispute while practicing and shot him in the leg with a BB gun . The elder Tomic has been banned from ATP tournaments until May and , just like at last year 's French Open and Wimbledon , wo n't be allowed into the grounds at the Australian Open . On the eve of the season 's first major , Patrick Rafter -- captain of Australia 's Davis Cup men 's team and one in a long line of tennis greats the country has produced -- said it 's time for Bernard to put everything behind him and live up to his own hype . `` He 's 21 but we 've got to be careful we do n't keep calling him young because he 's a man now , he should be taking responsibility for himself , '' Rafter told CNN 's Open Court . `` We 've seen a lot of other kids take responsibility for themselves . '' Rafter , usually mild mannered , ripped Tomic at the 2012 U.S. Open when he fell meekly to Andy Roddick , calling it a `` disgraceful '' performance . Tomic lost 6-3 6-4 6-0 and won just five points in the final set . Outspoken former world No . 1 John McEnroe , now a television analyst , labeled it a `` tank job '' and legendary Aussie coach and ex-player Tony Roche reportedly berated Tomic during a Davis Cup encounter against Germany weeks later . That October , Tomic said he gave merely `` 85 % '' in a defeat at the Shanghai Masters . Lack of effort has never been an issue for his Davis Cup teammate Lleyton Hewitt -- a two-time grand slam winner , and victor over Roger Federer in Sunday 's Brisbane final . Tomic , in another faux pas , once turned down a chance to hit with his childhood hero Hewitt at Wimbledon . A liking for Melbourne , London . And he ended 2013 by losing six straight matches , with his year-end ranking tumbling to 51st from a high-water mark of 27th in June 2012 . `` He 's going through some tricky times with his family life , but that motivation , he does n't seem to really have it that much , '' said Rafter , a two-time U.S. Open champion . Federer was quoted as saying by Fox Sports Australia in late December that `` we all expect more from Bernard , '' adding that 2014 would be pivotal . `` It 's going to be one of those seasons where he ( needs to ) prove himself on the tour and not ( linger ) around No . 50 in the world , '' said Federer . At his home major at least , Tomic 's issues seem to disappear . With all of Australia behind him , Tomic fared well in 2011 , 2012 and last year , with his talent -- and unorthodox game -- there for all to see . All three occasions he was stopped by either Rafael Nadal or Federer . Wimbledon is the other major where he excels . At the All England Club in 2011 , Tomic became the youngest man in 25 years -- since Boris Becker -- to reach the quarterfinals . `` He has got youth on his side where he can develop over the next couple of years and become a great player , '' said Rafter . `` He 's had success , especially at Wimbledon , so there 's no reason why he ca n't do well . '' Tomic could n't be reached for comment but his agent , Fraser Wright , said in an email that the player was devoting `` total attention to the Aussie summer tournaments . '' And in December Tomic , while reiterating that his father was still a vital member of his team , told an Australian television show that he needed to become `` wiser . '' `` You 've always got to think about what you 're doing and what the consequences are , '' he said when asked about the lapdancing incident . `` Sometimes I do n't think like that . `` I 've got to become a little bit more wiser , and I think mature a little bit more . '' With Stosur perennially struggling in Melbourne , former world No . 1 Hewitt long past his best after years of injury problems , and three major prospects -- Nick Kyrgios , Thanasi Kokkinakis and Ashleigh Barty -- perhaps not ready to make a splash , Tomic figures indeed to be Australia 's main contender in Melbourne . But Kyrgios and Kokkinakis fill Rafter with hope . `` You see a lot of juniors come through and you wonder how they are going to fit in with the men 's and how they are going to make that step from juniors , '' said Rafter . `` But these two boys seem to be very exciting that we 've got coming through , and a couple other young kids . `` But a lot of things can go wrong . There can be injuries or mentally you ca n't deal with it , so we 've got to try to control that side of it a little bit as well . '' Tomic is proving to be a fine example .
Bernard Tomic is Serbia 's top men 's player at the first grand slam of 2014 . The former junior world No . 1 has previously won in Melbourne event . But Tomic and his dad have more often than not made headlines for the wrong reasons . John Tomic received suspended sentence for his son 's ex - hitting partner .