Bernard Tomic has some high expectations for the 2012 season with the Aussie teenager setting himself the goal of cracking the top 10.
"I would love to be in the top 10 by my next birthday. I have a lot of tournaments where I can get points in the next six months," Tomic told the media. "There's a little bit more pressure on me, but I have always had pressure from a young age - I know how to handle it."
Tomic is currently the highest ranked teen in the men's game at 42 in the rankings. The 19 year old enjoyed a huge breakthrough season in 2011, reaching the Wimbledon quarter-finals where he pushed eventual champion Novak Djokovic to four sets.
And Tomic believes he can go much higher. The bulk of his points come from that fortnight's work at the All England Club as he achieved little else of note, apart from one quarter-final in Tokyo, for the rest of the season.
As a result he has little to defend for much of the season but he'll need to gain greater consistency at the smaller events. Tomic is very much a player for the big occasion, producing his best at the slams. Much attention will be focused on him at the Aussie Open after his third round run last year.
Tomic begins his season in Brisbane followed by the Kooyong Classic exhibition event.
