“It’s been very difficult for me the last year or so in the Tennis Australia group”, Tomic said.
Advertisement
Healy said Tomic’s behavior “was unacceptable… playing for our country is an absolute privilege, and with that privilege comes an obligation to behave appropriately”.
“He’s the reason the last few years (have) been up and down for me”.
After a blistering tirade in which he attacked beloved Australian tennis star Pat Rafter, Bernard Tomic has been dumped from the Davis Cup team by Tennis Australia.
However, he said he was doing it out of respect for his teammates rather than for the sport’s officials. “They get incredible money just to lose the first round at Wimbledon, it’s a hell of a lot of money”. But whatever they invested in me, they got in return 10, 20 times more. That’s 100 per cent certain.
Tomic also complained about a lack of financial support from Tennis Australia, but his latest antics have cost him any chance of future funding.
“What’s going on? Where is the support? How can you do this?” he asked. You know, behind that I think very disappointed in Craig Tiley in Tennis Australia.
Ironically, Tomic’s ban eases a selection headache somewhat for Cup captain Wally Masur, who was facing the prospect of trying to squeeze five legitimate players into his four-man team for the grasscourt tie in Darwin from July 17-19.
He also suggested world number 29 Nick Kyrgios had been considering pulling out in support of him.
“I always wanted to play Davis Cup”.
“People think I’m at war with Pat Rafter”. You know, it’s interesting what’s happened the last week that Nick wasn’t going to play, as well. He said he would play out of respect for retiring champion Lleyton Hewitt and the prestige of the century-old competition, despite claiming to have been abandoned by TA. According to the Herald Sun, Tomic said his dispute with Rafter had gotten so bad he was made to pay for things like court hire and balls. “It’s not true”, Tomic said.
“Pat is a nice guy. If the Australian public don’t know Pat, he’s a good actor, he’s well?spoken, always prepared and knows what to say”, Tomic said at the media conference.
In a 10-minute rant during a post-match press conference at Wimbledon on Friday, the 22-year-old accused the Australian tennis governing body of disrespect and mismanagement. What’s his job? Deal with it, Pat.
“He’s a mask for these guys – Craig and (TA president) Steve (Healy)”. They give it to Pat, “you do the work”.
It was then, in a 20-minute meeting at the All England Club restaurant, that Tomic was informed of his punishment for what TA described as “disparaging and disrespectful comments”.
Advertisement
The real surprise came afterwards when a gentleman in the stands thrust forward his prosthetic leg for Djokovic to autograph.
