AUSTRALIA won’t have too long until its new tennis star blossoms.

Bernard Tomic, one of the sports’ rising stars, put up a brilliant performance in the second round against Croatia’s Maran Cilic, who made it all the way through to the semi-finals in the Open.

Tomic took Cilic to five sets and looked in control half way through the third set.

By his own admission, he didn’t like playing until 2am. As a 17 year old, that’s a fair statement.

It’s not an excuse, but it’s a statement that needs to be thought about by Open organisers next year.

Despite, Sam Stosur and Casey Dellacqua getting through an extra couple of rounds, Tomic was the real for star for me as far as the Aussies go.

It was sad that there was no Australians remaining on Australia Day with Lleyton Hewitt and Sam Stosur out on Australia Day eve.

Hewitt, perhaps his last ditch effort on home soil, was mediocre at best compared to Roger Federer in his fourth round match.

It was like a boy playing against a master. Federer was too good, too strong and too poised.

Tomic made his mark in Melbourne this January.

He is Australia’s greatest hope in the next few years.

Of course, Jelena Dokic, Stosur and Dellacqua will be there for the women. But the men have only lauded Hewitt in recent times in Australian ranks.

Thank god for Tomic.