Bernard Tomic creates unwanted ATP Challenger history in first final since 2018

Bernard Tomic has created unwanted history in his first ATP Challenger final since 2018, losing the title match in record time.

The Australian tennis veteran produced his best run of results in years to reach the decider at Fairfield in San Francisco — even claiming an upset semi-final win over second seed and 169th-ranked countryman Tristan Schoolkate — but his successful week ended on a disappointing note.

WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Bernard Tomic loses ATP Challenger final in record time.

Seventh seed Tomic was no match for 18-year-old top seed Learner Tien in the final, with the American winning 6-0 6-1 in just 39 minutes.

ATP Challenger officials verified the result as the quickest final in the history of the second-tier tour.

“Once I lost the first two or three games, it was tough mentally staying on track,” Tomic said afterwards.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t keep up with my legs.”

Tomic was beaten by the same scoreline as his other historic defeat 10 years ago — a 28-minute loss that went down as the fastest in ATP Tour history.

Incredibly, the Fairfield final could have been over sooner but Tomic fought to save three break points and another in the second set.

Tennis commentator Mike Cation described the final pitting the “resurgent” Tomic against young gun Tien as “one of the more anticipated finals that I can remember in recent memory”.

Tomic has made several ITF-level finals since 2022 but this was his first appearance in a Challenger decider since winning a title in Mallorca in August 2018.

He followed that up the very next week with an ATP Tour triumph as a qualifier, defeating then world No.13 Fabio Fognini in the final.

“Such an incredible story,” Cation said of Tomic’s run six years later at Fairfield.

The first game went off without a hitch and Cation began with a conservative estimate on how long the match would last based on their playing styles.

“We’ll see how this plays out over the next, I’d say, hour and a half. Both guys play incredibly fast — Bernie, nobody plays faster than that,” he said.

Tomic was competitive enough early but quickly began letting aces fly by without taking a step.

“Yikes,” Cation said after Tien aced for a 5-0 lead.

As Tomic served to start the sixth game, the commentator said: “We’re going to learn a little bit here. Well, maybe not. This could go in about 80 seconds.”

He was close — it took just 90 seconds.

Tomic hit a half-hearted forehand into the net then, after hitting a forehand winner, struck three double faults in a row to concede a 16-minute bagel.

The Aussie walked out for the second set “with a smile on his face” but was unable to stop Tien.

Tomic offered a hearty congratulations to his young opponent at the net, and said later he had to “respect this moment” after playing his first ATP Challenger final in six years.

“I believe you can do wonderful things in tennis,” Tomic told Tien.

The official time wrapped at 39 minutes and seven seconds.

“It feels like we just did the introductions,” Cation said.

“That is A) Learner is that good but B) that is what happens at the end of the week when somebody who’s a veteran has put in that much effort through the week, that next level of keeping up on the pace side with a player of Learner Tien’s calibre.

“That’s going to be the question for Bernie moving forward here but a fantastic week, first final in six years, since 2018. Certainly is a great step but the day belongs to Learner Tien.”

Tomic, who saved two match points in his quarter-final before winning the two-and-a-half-hour battle, took home $US6575 ($A9800) and 44 ranking points as runner-up.

He is now close to sitting inside the world’s top 200 for the first time since February 2020.

The top 200 is a crucial cut-off point if Tomic wants to enter qualifying for the Australian Open for the first time since 2022.

Tomic is set to compete in another ATP Challenger tournament in Calgary, Canada this week while he could also line up at two more events in the United States in late October and early November.