'Trapped' Bernard Tomic says he only considers tennis as a job

Bernard Tomic has revealed how he never loved the sport of tennis and is only playing it for the money that he has been earning.

The controversial Australian came under fire for his comments following a straight-set loss to Misha Zverev in their first round Wimbledon match this year, stating that he felt "bored" during the encounter.

Tomic went on to get fined in excess of £11,000 ($14,300) for unsportsmanlike conduct and was dropped by his racket sponsors shortly afterwards.

In an interview with Sunday Night host Melissa Doyle, the 24-year-old spoke about his relationship with the sport and what he has achieved so far.

"Throughout my career I've given 100 per cent," he said, as quoted on The Sydney Morning Herald. "I've given also 30 per cent."

"But if you balance it out, I think all my career's been around 50 per cent. I haven't really tried, and [still] achieved all this. So it's just amazing what I've done."

Asked what advice he would give himself as a teenager, Tomic added: "Don't play tennis. Do something you love and enjoy, because it's a grind, and it's a tough, tough, tough life. My position, I'm trapped. I have to do it."

"Tennis chose me. It's something I never fell in love with. You know, I like it. It's kind of like saying, 'I like a girl — I don't love her, but I like her.'"

Tomic, who was a career-high world number 17 before dropping to his current rank of 73, also hit back at his critics for his post-Wimbledon comments.

"Don't come," he explained. "Just watch on TV, you don't have to pay anything. End of the day, don't like me or whatever. Just go back dreaming about your dream car or house while I go buy them."

"I don't regret what I said. I didn't come from a rich family. We had no money. And now ... living in all these lavish houses and property around the world, it's my choice. It's something that I've worked for."

The honest Germany-born player then claimed not many things could make him happy but pondered whether the euphoria of winning a Grand Slam in the future could do it for him.

"Not many things can make me super happy," Tomic stated. "I don't like to get super happy about anything. If I ever get the chance to win a Grand Slam, maybe only then I can truly feel the feeling of being really, really happy."

"Maybe I can light it up and win a Grand Slam or two, so we'll have to find out. Only time can tell."

However, Tomic is still unlikely to ever fall in love with tennis: "No, no. I'm just going to go about it as a job."

He is not the first Australian to make comments like these either as his fellow compatriot and exciting young prospect Nick Kyrgios also revealed in 2015 that he was pushed to play tennis and that he does not love the sport.