TA hits back after Tomic dummy spit

Dejan Kalinic

TA hits back after Tomic dummy spit image

Tennis Australia (TA) hit back at Bernard Tomic after his attack on head of performance Pat Rafter and the body's officials.

Tomic launched an extraordinary attack on Rafter, TA chief executive Craig Tiley and president Stephen Healy after his loss to Novak Djokovic at Wimbledon.

The 22-year-old vented his frustrations, claiming he had received a lack of support – while attacking Rafter.

"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.

"He's prepped by Tennis Australia to know what to say. He's always ready to fire back questions that we answer to. You know, behind that I think very disappointed in Craig Tiley in Tennis Australia. He's the reason the last few years, it's been up and down for me.

"There has been [a] lack of support towards me. There has been no respect I think towards me."

Tomic, who has decided to play the Davis Cup tie against Kazakhstan in July, said he was shocked when he had to pay to practice on courts before this year's Brisbane International.

"I got a call from Tennis Australia, 'You have to pay for your own courts'," he said.

"Now, I thought it was funny ... I paid for the court, no problem.

"So rain's started again. Maybe I will go up to Pat Rafter Arena and practice there.

"I went up there, organised 10 days before, nine days before. Practice and stuff. Guy coming to me: 'You have to pay the court and balls'.

"Do you think that's fair, honestly?

"Certainly not. That's where things started changing. I couldn't believe it."

TA responded via Twitter on Saturday.

"Bernard Tomic post-match allegations about TA were misinformed, untrue & disappointing," it said.

"TA remains committed to implementing the best culture possible, with a philosophy of opportunity, not entitlement."

Dejan Kalinic