Seventeen years after winning the US Open boys' crown for a second junior grand slam title, Tomic will take on South African Lloyd Harris in the first round of qualifying on Wednesday (AEST).
The one-time world No.17 hasn't featured in a grand slam main draw since successfully qualifying for the Australian Open, and reaching the second round, in 2021.
But Tomic looks somewhat of a man on a mission this year after winning the Lincoln Challenger in Nebraska last month, his biggest title since 2018.
Joking he would continue playing for another 20 years, a jubilant Tomic followed that breakthrough with a charge into the last eight in Los Cabos four weeks ago.
The run included a straight-sets rout of Russia's dual grand slam semi-finalist Karen Khachanov and marked Tomic's first ATP quarter-final showing in eight years.
Now ranked No.179 in the world, Tomic will need to win three consecutive qualifying matches to make the main draw at Flushing Meadows for the first time since 2017.
The former teenage Wimbledon quarter-finalist is among nine Australians in day-two action, with Chris O'Connell, Alex Bolt and Tristan Schoolkate also chasing men's singles berths at the final major of the year starting on Sunday (Monday AEST).
James McCabe lost 6-1 6-4 in the first round to Austrian Lukas Neumayer.
At least one Australian is certain to progress in women's qualifying action, with Storm Hunter up against Maddison Inglis.
Astra Sharma, Priscilla Hon and teenage ace Emerson Jones also feature.
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