Bernard Tomic's career may be in freefall, but the mercurial world number 260 catapulted himself back into the limelight at the Australian Open qualifiers on Tuesday by claiming he would test positive for Covid-19 in the coming days.
Russia's Roman Safiullin held a commanding 6-1 2-1 lead over Tomic, when the latter attempted to engage in conversation with chair umpire Aline Da Rocha Nocinto at the changeover.
"For sure, in the next two days I'll test positive, I'm telling you," Tomic told the official.
"I'll buy you dinner if I don't test positive in three days. Otherwise you buy me dinner.
"I can't believe nobody is getting tested. They're allowing players to come onto the court with rapid tests in their room... come on. No official PCR testing."
The 29-year-old was unavailable to speak to the media after his 6-1 6-4 loss and later posted on social media that he had been told to isolate.
"Feeling really sick, I'm now back in my hotel room," Tomic said on Instagram. "Just spoke to the doctors on site and they've asked me to isolate. They couldn't treat me yet to avoid contact."
Tomic was backed to become a contender at grand slams earlier in his career and had raised expectations in his home country by reaching the 2011 Wimbledon quarter-finals at the age of 18.
He reached a career-high ranking of 17 in 2016 but his subsequent decline has been characterised by clashes with tennis officialdom, an infamous reality TV appearance, and rants on social media.
