The former Wimbledon quarter-finalist and Australian No.1 returns to Melbourne Park this week needing to win three sudden-death matches to earn a place in the Australian Open main draw for the first time since 2021.
On that occasion, Tomic, showing his class, was the only Australian of 20 hopefuls to successfully qualify for the Open.
Four years on, and with much water under the bridge, the former world No.17 and two-time grand slam junior champion is back in Australia ranked 214th, having toiled away in tennis backwaters such as India, Thailand and the less glamorous parts of the Americas.
Tomic last year earned $US63,030 playing in Challenger and Future events in spots such as Wichita, Little Rock and Calabasas.
The 32-year-old can more than double that in one week if he qualifies for the Open to secure a minimum $132,000 pay day for losing in the first round.
Tomic faces Slovakian Jozef Kovalik in the first round of qualifying in his quest to make a 12th main-draw Open appearance.
Cruz Hewitt will play Georgian Nikoloz Basilashvili in his qualifying opener. (Lukas Coch/AAP PHOTOS)
At the other end of the spectrum, 16-year-old Cruz Hewitt – the son of former Australian Open runner-up Lleyton and half the age of Tomic – is attempting to qualify for the first time.
Handed a wildcard, Hewitt is up against experienced Georgian Nikoloz Basilashvili in his qualifying opener.
In Monday’s action promising teen Taylah Preston shone bright on a rain-affected day in Melbourne to become the first Australian through to the second round of qualifying.
The 19-year-old had to wait six hours to make it on to court but dismissed German veteran Mona Barthel in just 48 minutes, 6-1 6-2.
Preston attacked the second serve of the former world No.23 with her backhand proving a weapon.
Teenager Taylah Preston is looking to impress after making her Billie Jean Cup debut last year. (Darren England/AAP PHOTOS)
“It was a bit tricky to get into a rhythm in the match just because of the way that Mona plays as she hits it super hard and there aren’t a lot of rallies happening, especially as the courts are pretty lively out there,” Preston said.
“But I think I did pretty well.”
The West Australian is looking to play in her second Australian Open after receiving a wildcard last year to make her major debut, losing in the first round to Elina Svitolina.
She also gained a wildcard into the US Open main draw but says she is happy to try to work her way into the tournament this time around.
After reaching her first WTA 125 final in Mexico last February, Preston became the first teen debutante to win a Billie Jean Cup singles match for Australia since Ash Barty in 2013.
While a number of matches were postponed due to rain, local wildcard Lizette Cabrera fell to third-seeded Brit Harriet Dart 6-2 7-6 (7-5) among the early results.
