Should Xavier Malisse's surprise three-week coaching trial with Bernard Tomic extend to a more permanent arrangement for next season, John Tomic intends to retain a joint coaching role in his son's expanded team.
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Malisse, the former world No. 19 and Wimbledon semi-finalist, started work this week in Stockholm, where Tomic, 21, won his first matches since withdrawing from the second round of the US Open – a shaky three-setter against 372nd-ranked Swedish wildcard Patrik Rosenholm, followed by a 7-6 (7-4), 7-4 upset of third seed Kevin Anderson. The Queenslander meets Spanish veteran Fernando Verdasco in the quarter-finals.
Speaking to Fairfax Media from Sweden, John Tomic said it was too early to tell if the new relationship would be extended past its initial period, but noted the similarities in style between the smooth-stroking, slightly unconventional Belgian and the Australian No. 3, whose best grand slam result – a 2011 Wimbledon quarter-final – has also come on grass.
"Xavier is just four days with us, and we will see how it will work," Tomic senior said on Thursday. "If it happens with Xavier that he becomes Bernard's coach it will be so nice. He is nice person and we are working on that.
"I can say I will still be Bernard's coach with Xavier and we will work together. It will be a pleasure to work with such nice person like him. Will he coach Bernard with me, when I'm not there because I have to give part-time with daughter [Sara, a promising junior] and part-time with [son]? Maybe he will coach, maybe he won't. We will see.
"I didn't decide nothing yet. We are just here in Stockholm, Malisse is with us, just on trial, we're just trying, because I can't find a good coach in Australia. I spent a lot of time in Australia and I cannot find exactly what I am looking for."
Earlier this year, Tomic junior did some work with Croatian Velimir Zovko, an interim joint arrangement during his father's 12-month tournament ban, which expired in May. Now at No. 76, Tomic missed an early chunk of the season after requiring surgery on both hips in January, having retired injured during his opening-round match at the Australian Open against Rafael Nadal. He won the Bogota title in July to rescue himself from a slide into grand slam qualifying territory, but remains behind Davis Cup teammates Lleyton Hewitt and Nick Kyrgios on the national rankings list.
Malisse, whose talent was undeniable but whose application and match temperament were often more questionable, retired last October after 15 seasons, three ATP singles and nine doubles titles.
