Bernard Tomic’s shocking season continues at Delray Beach

AAP
Feb 22, 2017, updated Feb 22, 2017

Bernard Tomic is to skip Australia's Davis Cup tie with USA. Photo: AAP

Bernard Tomic’s disappointing start to the 2017 ATP Tour season continued in Florida overnight with a first-round loss at Delray Beach.

The sixth-seeded Australian was sent packing in the first round of a second consecutive tournament, blowing a one-set to love lead against Belgian Steve Darcis, who won 3-6 6-1 6-4.

Tomic had a 4-1 lead in the final set but the Belgian world number 57, who had to go through qualifying, reeled off five straight games to take the match.

The loss condemned the Australian world number 31 to his third first round loss out of four tournaments in 2017, with his only wins coming in the first and second rounds of the Australian Open.

Tomic began the year with a straight-sets loss to Spanish veteran David Ferrer in Brisbane and last week lost to world number 140 Barbadian Darian King 6-4, 6-4 in the first round of the Memphis Open.

It wasn’t all bad news for Tomic though, it was also announced he is playing doubles with Australian Open finalist Rafael Nadal in Indian Wells, in March.

And spending time with the Spanish great on the court could be just what he needs to get his season going.

As for Darcis — the recent hero of Belgium’s Davis Cup win over Germany after beating both Phillipp Kohlschriber and Alexander Zverev — he awaits either Memphis finalist Nikoloz Basilashvili or German veteran Tommy Haas.

While Tomic suffered a bad day on court there were no such troubles for either Milos Raonic or Jack Sock.

Top seed Raonic powered his way to a 6-1, 6-4 win over American qualifier Tim Smyczek, belting down 10 aces in the process.

Sock, the world number 21 took a bit longer to progress but did so with a straight sets win over Moldova’s Radu Albot 6-4, 7-6 (7/2).