Wimbledon Heat Leaves Bernard Tomic Dizzy and Sleepless

Australia's Bernard Tomic says he has been left dizzy and sleepless by the Wimbledon heatwave.

Tomic defied blistering temperatures approaching 34C to advance to the third round with a 7-6 (7/3), 6-4, 7-6 (7/5) win over France's Pierre-Hugues Herbert on Wednesday. (Also read: Wary Wimbledon cuts ground capacity as temperature soars)

But the 22-year-old needed a medical time-out in the second set after being rattled by dizzy spells caused by the sapping heat on Court 18. (Also read: Tomic faces Djokovic challenge)

Tomic battled on to wrap up his win in one hour and 59 minutes, ensuring he would avoid prolonging his heat-induced misery any longer.

"I've only been getting three or four hours of sleep. I was fatigued and starting to get very dizzy out there with the heat hitting me," Tomic said.

"It was tough, so I had to slow things down. I had to catch my breath. It was not that easy, that situation for me in the second set. I was feeling bad.

"Hopefully I can get a good night's sleep in tonight. I just haven't been sleeping well here. It's been too hot".

The world number 29 said the unusually warm weather has been the talk of the locker room this week and hinted that it was time for Wimbledon chiefs to let men play under the same rules that permit women players to take a 10-minute break between the second and third sets when the temperature goes above 30.1C.

"Yeah, 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," he said.

"I think ours is slightly different. I think we are allowed to play in more heat. Is it fair or not? Who am I to say? It's a tough one."

- Djokovic showdown -

With a third round clash against world number one and defending champion Novak Djokovic looming on Friday, Tomic joked that even a good night's sleep might not be enough to help stun the Serb.

"I'll need more than that," he laughed. "I will recover as much as I can from this match first.

"Obviously he's the No. 1 player in the world. Against him, you have to go out with a different mindset and different belief. I have to serve very well to have any chance of winning."

Tomic enjoyed his best Grand Slam run at Wimbledon in 2011 when he made the quarter-finals as a teenager before losing to Djokovic, who went on to win his first All England Club crown.

"I can remember I was playing very good. He was No. 1 or 2, I think, at that time, as well. He did win Wimbledon after he beat me in the quarters," Tomic said.

That early promise remained unfulfilled as questions remain about Tomic's commitment to the sport and the influence of his volatile father.

After a promising start to 2015, including an Australian Open last 16 appearance, he lost five successive matches before suffering a five-set defeat against teenage compatriot Thanasi Kokkinakis in the French Open second round.

He has looked more formidable back at Wimbledon, where he also reached the fourth round in 2013, and he believes the fast grass-courts give him the best chance of an upset against Djokovic.

"I've played many times against Novak. I've got the feel for him. We have practised a lot of times," he said.

"Against him on grass, for me I have more chance, but he's the best player in the world and it's a very tough match.

"But I know at my level, if I'm playing good on my day, I can beat him."