IT was meant to be the holiday of a lifetime — a prominent US physician travelled with his tennis-mad teenage son to Melbourne for the Australian Open.

But the pair’s dream trip ended in a nightmare when they were allegedly subjected to a horrific bashing by a gang of youths while walking back to their hotel.

Edmund Pribitkin, from Pennsylvania, has been left with terrible injuries after the violent attack and had to have titanium plates inserted into his face.

“I landed on the ground on my left side and I was assaulted at that point, then I blacked out,” he told Nine News.

His son, Edik Pribitkin, told Nine News the group confronted them near Melbourne’s Royal Botanic Gardens as they walked back to their hotel after the Open last Wednesday night.

The group first demanded cigarettes but then asked for their belongings.

He and his dad tried to escape — but that’s when the gang allegedly attacked them.

“Anything from hitting me in the head, kicking and trying to pull me to the ground,” the teenage victim recalled.

Despite their ordeal, the pair do not hold anything against Melbourne.

“This is a random act, it can happen anywhere in the world,” Edmund said.

“It is a magical city, you have some of the friendliest folks on Earth here.”

Police have charged five teenagers and are still searching for several others believed to be involved in the incident.