Bernard Tomic has been stood down from this month’s Davis Cup quarter-final against Kazakhstan for his explosive attack on Tennis Australia officials including Pat Rafter and CEO Craig Tiley.
TA president Steve Healy announced the decision on Saturday and said Tomic’s disrespectful comments following his third-round Wimbledon exit the previous day effectively ruled him out of contention.
“His behaviour was unacceptable,” Healy said.
“Playing for our country is an absolute privilege, and with that privilege comes an obligation to behave appropriately. He didn’t.”
Among other claims during his 10-minute tirade, Tomic accused the governing body of abandoning him after he underwent double hip surgery last year and that Rafter, TA’s director of player performance, was merely a “mask” for Tiley and had no idea how to control the budget for player funding.
“The allegations are misinformed and untrue and he publicly derided some outstanding people,” Healy said.
“We are trying to build a strong culture underpinned by a philosophy of opportunity, not entitlement. This behaviour is just not on.
“Hopefully he will learn from this. Our entire tennis community is committed to working hard to help all our players, including Bernard, be the best tennis players and the best people they can be.”
Healy ruled out legal action against Tomic, while Tiley hoped the 20-year-old would wear the punishment rather than go down a “destructive path” so that he could return to Australia’s Cup fold.
“The sanction of not selecting Bernard in this tie is sufficient,” Healy said.
“He’s a very keen Davis Cup player, a great Davis Cup player. He’s very disappointed not to play.”
The Australian No.1’s beef with TA stems from the Tomic family, including his 17-year-old sister Sara, having their funding cut.
Rafter said before Wimbledon that was the case because TA had a policy of not funding “financially stable” players or players whose parents behave inappropriately, as Tomic’s father and coach John has in the past.
Tiley said the world No.26’s claim that he’d been made to pay for court hire and balls at Pat Rafter Arena before last year’s Brisbane International was spot on – and had been designed to send a message to Tomic.
“We support fully the decisions that are made on those small granular things,” he said.
“He’s enjoyed great support from the organisation from the age of 11-12. The organisation, through its support and funding, really helped him get to where he is today.
“He himself has got himself there but we, as an organisation, have been a really key partner in all of that.
“Our developmental pathway goes to a certain point. He’s now making a lot of money. He’s enjoying benefits of contracts and he’s an athlete that can support himself.”
Tomic also claimed Kyrgios would boycott the quarter-final if he didn’t play, but Healy was confident that wouldn’t be the case following discussions with captain Wally Masur.
“Wally has been talking to all the players and we’re expecting Nick to be available to play,” Healy said.
Tomic’s ban eases a selection headache somewhat for Masur, who was facing the prospect of trying to squeeze five legitimate candidates into his four-man team for the grasscourt tie in Darwin from July 17-19.
Now Masur is almost certain to use Kyrgios, Thanasi Kokkinakis, Sam Groth and veteran Lleyton Hewitt.
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