Bernard Tomic abandons match after bizarre mid-match argument with girlfriend

Australian tennis player Bernard Tomic has retired mid-match from an ATP Challengers event after getting into a bizarre spat with his girlfriend while on the court.

Tomic, once ranked as high as No.17 in the world, is playing on the Challengers circuit in the hope to improve his ranking and get back to playing against the word's best.

But the 31-year-old, who is now ranked No.247, struggled against Japan's Yuta Shimizu at the Little Rock Open in Arkansas.

Tomic went down 6-1 in the first set, looking extremely distracted and disinterested throughout.

The former junior world No. 1 also complained of illness during the match, calling for medical attention several times.

'I haven't seen him move for a single ball and he is missing literally everything,' tennis writer Zachary Cohen posted on X.

'He had the doctors out and told them his girlfriend tested positive for Covid this morning.'

Before the second set started, the Aussie became involved in a tiff with his girlfriend Keely Hannah who was seated in the stands. 

'Bernard and his girlfriend just continuing to argue,' the ATP Challengers commentator said.

'The long and short of it, Bernie saying, "You tested positive for COVID today", girlfriend saying, "No, that was two weeks ago".

'I did not anticipate having to commentate a couple's quarrel here - but here we are.

'Either way, uncomfortable for all the fans here, who are just wanting to see a little bit of tennis tonight, but I don't know that they're going to get it.'

Tomic elected to retire from the match and later tested positive to COVID. 

'All right, that does it. So, retiring due to illness is Bernard Tomic,' the commentator announced.

'Well, that's a very awkward way to end, and a rather 'Bernie' way to end, isn't it? Tough way to go out.

'Tomic now, we'll see if he's able to recover. And again, how the heck did he win that match a couple of days ago?'