By AUSTRALIAN ASSOCIATED PRESS and ED CARRUTHERS, ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR, AUSTRALIA
Bernard Tomic's hopes of an Australian Open resurrection have been scuttled with the veteran making a second-round exit from qualifying at Melbourne Park.
The 33-year-old former wonderkind was bidding for his first main draw berth in five years, needing three wins in qualifying to earn a start.
But Tomic was unable to back up his first-round victory, falling to Great Britain's Arthur Fery in their Wednesday clash 6-4 6-2.
It was 23-year-old France-born Fery's second successive win over an Australian after accounting for Edward Winter in round one.
While Tomic spoke of his joy to be playing in front of home fans after his first round straight-sets win over Bolivian 25th seed Hugo Dellien, he declined any interviews: 'Not today', he said as he brushed past media.
Ranked 184 and playing most of the year on the ATP Challenger Tour, Tomic is coming off his most successful season in seven years.
The former world No.17 competed in 35 tournaments in 2025, amassing 44 wins, 35 losses, and making almost $360,000.
Still, it could be the last time Tomic, who last played in the Open in 2021 when he reached the second round, is seen at Melbourne Park.
Meanwhile, Thanasi Kokkinakis was forced to pull out of his second-round clash against Monegasque player Valentin Vacherot due to a shoulder injury.
The decision has thrust his hopes of playing next week at Melbourne Park into serious doubt.
Kokkinakis had fought through pain to defeat Sebastian Korda earlier in the week at the Adelaide International. He was making his first singles appearance on the ATP Tour since having a dead person's Achilles tendon attached between his right pectoral muscle and his shoulder.
The 29-year-old had a day to recover between matches and had hoped that his anti-inflammatory medication would help alleviate the pain, but ultimately was forced to hand Vacherot a walkover.
'I had conversations with my team: I was like: "At what cost am I playing? Even if I get through this match, so what?"' he explained after his 3-6 6-3 7-6 (7-3) win over Korda.
'I had the surgery so I could back-up matches and go through a tournament. But I'll never really find out until I go through a long match and see where I'm at after.'
Kokkinakis is due to enter the main draw of the Australian Open via a protected ranking. He is also set to play doubles with his friend Nick Kyrgios.
However, the Adelaide-born tennis star took to social media on Wednesday to admit his disappointment at the withdrawal.
'Very sad to have to pull out of my favourite event,' he wrote, publishing an image of himself nursing his shoulder.
'Unfortunately, my arm isn't quite ready yet after missing a year off.'
'The support is always incredible and love playing here. See you next year.'
In other results, Olivia Gadecki was also in no mood for talking after letting a golden opportunity slip against former world No.3 Sloane Stephens.
The 23-year-old Queenslander had an early break in the deciding third set before she allowed 2017 US Open champion Stephens back into the match for a 3-6 6-3 6-3 victory.
The only major winner playing in qualifying this week and a 2013 Australian Open semi-finalist, 32-year-old Stephens was sidelined for seven months last year with a foot injury.
Arriving at Melbourne Park on the back of a 13-match losing streak, her WTA ranking dropped outside the top 1000, forcing Stephens into qualifying for the first time since Wimbledon in 2012.
Storm Hunter and Dane Sweeny gave home fans something to cheer, though, both marching to the final round of qualifying with impressive wins.
On the comeback trail after a year out nursing a ruptured Achilles tendon, Hunter downed Serbian 27th seed Lola Radivojevic 6-2 7-6 (7-1), while Sweeny advanced with a 6-4 6-4 victory over Swiss Jerome Kym.
Hoping to play in his second Australian Open, the 24-year-old Sweeny was happy with his game.
'Definitely a step up from my first round, I'm playing with a lot more courage and conviction,' he said.
'First round I was a little bit hesitant and that was the main goal today, win or lose was to play on my terms and I think I did a really good job.'
'I played very tactically smart and he had the firepower, but I think I just kind of swindled in with his skills.'
Another young Sydneysider James McCabe suffered a tough super tiebreak loss to rising Norwegian star Nicolai Budkov Kjaer 4-6 6-3 7-6 (10-6).