MONTE CARLO – Bernard Tomic’s slump in form continued on Monday at the Monte Carlo Open as the Australian lost a sixth straight match to exit the first major event of the clay season.
Tomic, ranked 43 as his freefall continues, went down to Argentine Diego Schwartzman, who fought back from a 4-2 deficit in the second set to produce a 6-1 7-6(3) victory.
The Queenslander was bustled out of the first round in just over one-and-a-quarter hours.
Tomic won his last match at the Australian Open three months ago, reaching the third round, where he lost to Brit Dan Evans.
He retired in Acapulco in late February against Donal Young.
Tomic struck six double-faults and was broken four times; the 41st-ranked Schwartzman lost serve once.
Tomic is now falling well behind rising rival Nick Kyrgios, who is skipping Monte Carlo and starting his Roland Garros run-up campaign in a fortnight at Estoril.
This defeat followed his loss to loss to Schwartzman in the second round at Istanbul last year.