Gold Coast bad boy Bernard Tomic joins classy field for Brisbane International in January

The second-ranked Aussie’s agreement to play at the Queensland Tennis Centre for a second straight summer was confirmed on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, the state government’s financial support for the Brisbane men’s and women’s tournament will extend for five more years, Major Events Minister Kate Jones announced.

Tomic’s Brisbane entry was expected as his only option in Australia in the January 1-8 week was Perth’s Hopman Cup, which had already announced Aussie No.1 Nick Kyrgios as its one male home entrant.

Tomic, ranked No.25 after a year in which he made one final, will practice at his Gold Coast base after overcoming a minor leg injury which ended his season prematurely last month.

He will defend semi-final points from his 2016 Brisbane appearance and will look to re-enter the top 20 with results in Australia, which is his usually most productive circuit of the season.

Top-ranked Aussie woman Samantha Stosur and third-ranked man John Millman will add further Queensland content to the field.

Stosur and her coach Josh Eagle will be looking to find solutions in the pre-season for a form lapse which leaves her winless since the US Open in September.

The Brisbane International had previously announced five top-10 men - US Open champion Stan Wawrinka, Wimbledon runner-up Milos Raonic, Japan’s Kei Nishikori, Spanish great Rafael Nadal and Belgian Dominic Thiem - as entrants.

Two of the world’s top three women - Angelique Kerber and Garbine Muguruza - add to the big names in fields to be completed late in November.

Millman said the fields and his conversations with other players led him to know that his home city tournament had become “world renowned”.

The 27-year-old, who is certain he will beat hip injuries in time to play near his best tennis in Brisbane, is ranked No.71 and targeting a top-50 breakthrough.

“After starting 2016 in India it will be great for me to start the year in Brisbane, where the crowd support really gives me wings,” said Millman, who gave Roger Federer a three-set scare before losing their match at Pat Rafter Arena in 2015.

Originally published as Tomic to begin 2017 at Brisbane International