Bernard Tomic Will Not Make Peace With Tennis Australia Until Demands Are Met

Australian tennis player Bernard Tomic has indicated he will not make peace with Tennis Australia until his demands are met after turning down the governing body’s invitation for a meeting. Tomic, who was arrested for a wild night of partying in Miami last week, said he is not prepared to show up for talks with TA as reported by The New Daily.

“Until I am satisfied TA is committed to funding the development of junior Australian talent, including my sister Sara, on a non-discriminatory basis, I do not believe there is any point in meeting,” Tomic said from Colombia, where he is competing for the Claro Open.

TA president Steve Healy reached out to Tomic to “clear the air” over the funding issue he raised during his post-Wimbledon remarks. Healy said the criticisms made are “unjustified”, adding that the tennis governing body has wanted to offer the young tennis professional the opportunity to raise the issues he claimed.

“We think the criticisms are unjustified – he needs to hear that. He needs to get some detail, and we want to bring him back into the fold,” Healy added as noted by the Guardian.

The controversial tennis star insisted that he stands by with his post-Wimbledon criticism of director of player performance Pat Rafter and the TA hierarchy. Tomic accused the governing body of abandoning him after he underwent double hip surgery last year. He also added that Rafter was merely a “mask” for CEO Craig Tiley and had mishandled the budget for funding tennis players. The 22-year-old tennis professional missed Australia’s quarterfinal win at Darwin after being kicked off by TA due to the “unacceptable” comments he made at Wimbledon.

Healy’s olive branch, a bid to get Tomic back for Australia’s Davis Cup semifinal bid on September against Great Britain, came after the young Aussie was arrested in Miami. Tomic, ranked 29th in the world, would unquestionably boost Australia’s chances to overcome an Andy Murray-led Britain on Sept. 18-20. Tomic confessed that he is always available as Australia’s selection for Davis Cup, adding that he is “okay and strong” and have not hit “rock bottom” according to Channel News Asia.

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