Tennis Australia draws line under Lleyton Hewitt-Bernard Tomic row, withdraws support for Tomic
Bernard Tomic’s Davis Cup career appears to be over after Tennis Australia accused him of “deliberately trying to damage” the team, adding that his “behaviour does not warrant support”.
The feud between Hewitt and Tomic has been rumbling on since the latter’s exit from the Australian Open when he told the media that “nobody liked” the former world No 1.
Hewitt then hit back by calling Tomic a “clown” and he later revealed that the controversial player threatened his family in the past, saying “they were blackmail threats and physical”.
Unsurprisingly Tomic was not included in Australia’s Davis Cup squad for the qualifiers this weekend and Tennis Australia chief executive Craig Tiley has drawn a line in the sand over his selection.
“Lleyton is right to say Bernard will not be considered for Davis Cup. Bernard does not meet the standards of behaviour and commitment to himself, the team or the sport,” he said.
“Now, he is deliberately trying to damage that culture – and not for the first time.
“We have given (Tomic) more than a decade of support. Ultimately, we have to draw a line when the behaviour does not warrant the support.”
However, it is not the end of the feud as Tomic’s father John is planning to take legal action against Hewitt over a 2010 incident when his son was a Davis Cup debutant.
“In regards to an alleged incident in 2010, we are not aware of any formal complaint lodged by either John or Bernard,” Tiley said.
“Both Bernard and John have enjoyed a lot of support since in many areas of their lives, including a long and sustained period of personal commitment and wholehearted effort from Lleyton Hewitt as Davis Cup captain. Our organisation remains deeply disappointed with the ongoing disrespect from Bernard and his father.”
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