Bernard Tomic has been dumped from Australia’s Davis Cup team after a blistering tirade at Tennis Australia (TA) officials following his third-round exit at Wimbledon.
The 22-year-old had accused TA of neglecting him and his sister Sara, whose funding was cut by the national body because of their father John’s uncooperative attitude.
“His behavior was unacceptable,” TA president Steve Healy said in a statement, which added Tomic would not be picked for the July 17-19 quarter-final tie against Kazakhstan in Darwin, Australia.
“Playing for our country is an absolute privilege, and with that privilege comes an obligation to behave appropriately. He didn’t,” the statement said.
Tomic had heavily criticized Healy and TA chief executive Craig Tiley for not showing him enough respect.
However, in his statement Healy said: “The allegations are misinformed and untrue and he publicly derided some outstanding people.”
“We are trying to build a strong culture underpinned by a philosophy of opportunity, not entitlement,” he said. “This stuff is just not on.”
Tomic on Friday said that he had considered withdrawing from the team for the upcoming tie, but chose to play because it was Lleyton Hewitt’s last Davis Cup appearance for Australia.
“I always wanted to play Davis Cup,” Tomic said at Wimbledon.
“I’m going to go down there and play for the respect of Davis Cup, for the respect of the Australian public, for myself and mainly for the respect of, you know, Lleyton and the team,” he said.
Tomic has had run-ins with TA in the past and was dropped by then-Davis Cup captain Pat Rafter for a tie against Taiwan in 2013.
In his latest criticism, the world No. 26 gave as examples the fact that Tennis Australia had not called him when he had hip surgery last year and that he had been forced to pay for court time and balls when he was preparing for the season-opening Brisbane International.
“What’s going on? Where is the support? How can you do this?” he said. “It’s not about the money. It’s about the respect.”
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