Wimbledon 2015: Bernard Tomic reveals he's getting 'three hours' sleep due to heatwave that left him 'dizzy' on court

The Australian takes on Novak Djokovic next

Bernard Tomic (GETTY IMAGES)

Australian Bernard Tomic said the English heat has reduced him to three hours sleep a night and said there had been locker room talk about the men getting the same 35-minute heat break as the women, as he prepares to face Novak Djokovic in the mens’ singles third round.

Tomic progressed by overcoming the threat of the Frenchman Pierre-Hugues Herbert, a player who displayed glimpses of his immense touch in a close first set, but said that he would need more than a god night’s sleep to beat him.

Herbert’s serve and volley game was at its best in that first set, before two fluffed forehand volleys in a tie-break saw the Australian No 1 – part of a strong antipodean contingent – begin to take command. A searing cross-court forehand return by Tomic and a misjudgement by the Frenchman, who anticipated a return falling beyond the baseline, allowed Tomic another break of serve in the second set which he won 6-4. Herbert kept the game tight but Tomic closed out by wining a third set tie-break.

“I was dizzy out there,” Tomic said. "I didn’t sleep well yesterday or the day before. Probably getting three or four hours of sleep. I was fatigued and starting to get dizzy out there with the heat hitting me. It was tough, so I had to slow things down. I had to catch my breath. Hopefully I can get an hour’s sleep in tonight. I just haven’t been sleeping well here. It’s been too hot.”

Of the notion of a heat break for the men’s game, he said: “I was actually talking about that in the locker room. It’s a bit interesting how the women have a different rule applied to them with the heat, which is interesting. I think we are allowed to play in more hear. Is it fair or not? Who am I to say? I don’t know. It’s a tough one.”