Bernard Tomic can comfortably rise up tennis’ world rankings, top-ranked Novak Djokovic says. But the Aussie can only do it if he improves his commitment and learns to control his emotions, the Serb believes.

His comments come after Tomic was once again accused of tanking after his lacklustre effort to return a match-point serve during a straight-sets loss to Fabio Fognini in Madrid on Tuesday.

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The world number 22 – who is one place below compatriot Nick Kyrgios – held his racquet by the strings, not the handle, and let a Fognini serve go past him on match point.

When asked about the incident by the Gold Coast Bulletin, he replied: “I don’t care about that match point.”

This is how Tomic attempted to return serve. Photo: Getty

“Would you care if you were 23 and worth over $10 million?”

Djokovic and Tomic have an ongoing relationship, with the pair regularly hitting with each other in practice sessions.

They have played each other on five occasions, including a 2011 quarter-final at Wimbledon that lasted four sets. Djokovic has won all five matches.

Having progressed from a prodigious young talent to the sport’s best player, Djokovic is well-placed to offer insight on Tomic’s career.

And he feels that Tomic is much more capable than what he is currently showing. The Aussie has not won a match since March.

“I’ve seen what he has done [on match-point against Fognini],” he said.

“It’s not right and I hope he realises that. The sooner the better for him because he is still relatively young and he can definitely be a better player and better ranked than he is now.”

Djokovic also stated that “everybody” on the tennis tour knows Tomic isn’t reaching his potential.

“Everybody knows that,” he added.

“I think he knows that, but he doesn’t seem to really get things the right way off the court.

Tomic has won three ATP titles in his career. Photo: Getty

“I’m just hoping for him, because over the last couple of years I got to know him better and he’s a good guy, he’s a good person, but he’s just failing to be committed to this sport as it is required.

“Many things that he says are not well thought from his side. He gets emotional very quickly and things get out of context.”

Could Tomic’s antics cost him an Olympic spot?

Reports that Australia’s Olympic chef de mission, Kitty Chiller, had been in regular contact with Tennis Australia about Tomic and Kyrgios’ behaviour emerged this week.

TA have the power to overrule Olympic selection – which the pair are both automatically eligible for due to their rankings.

Back in March, after the pair engaged in a spat over Kyrgios’ withdrawal from a Davis Cup tie for allegedly being sick, Chiller said their conduct was being monitored.

“It’s not just tennis but some of the values are not what I would want our Olympians to exhibit,” she said.

“How we operate off the field is just as important as what we do on the field.

“I want an Australian team that Australia is proud of.

“Australians are very forgiving if we come fifth or sixth or seventh if we go and try our guts out and do it in the right way with our heads held high.”