Bernard Tomic Gets Chewed Out by Davis Cup Captain Rafter

Written by: Staff on 5th September 2012

Bernard Tomic Gets Chewed Out by Davis Cup Captain Rafter

epa03378103 Bernard Tomic of Australia returns a ball against Andy Roddick of the United States of America during their match on the fifth day of the 2012 US Open Tennis Championship at the USTA National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, New York, USA, 31 August 2012. The US Open runs through 09 September 2012. EPA/LARRY W. SMITH |

Bernard Tomic may have escaped censure from the Grand Slam Committee after his far from committed display against Andy Roddick at the US Open but the young Australian has earned a stinging rebuke from his Davis Cup captain Patrick Rafter.

Rafter termed Tomic’s effort in the 6-3,6-4,6-0 display ‘disgraceful’ and intimated it was only a lack of top class performers to back up veteran Lleyton Hewitt in next week’s World Group qualifier against Germany in Hamburg that prevented the 19 year-old from being axed from the Australian line-up.

John McEnroe accused Tomic of not trying in the final set of the match with Roddick and the Aussie captain was as harsh in his criticism. “I threw out the big D word, disgraceful, to him yesterday,” said Rafter to Australia’s Fox Sports channel. “That’s just the way it was and he’s got to learn.

“There’s no use sugar-coating something, he has to do the work, and I’m sick and tired of tip-toeing around it, and I think everyone else is as well. He needs to realize that’s what he needs to do, and he says he does.”

Tomic, still Australia’s top ranked player although he has slipped from a career high 27 before Wimbledon to a current position of 43, worsened his position when he made threatening comments to a reporter who was questioning him on McEnroe’s comments.

Rafter condemned Tomic’s display and demanded an improved work ethic in team practice before the tie on September 14-16. “We’ve got two weeks now of Davis Cup coming up and that’s hard work, and hard training, so he has to pull his socks up if he wants to be part of this team, and train hard and work hard,” he said.

“It’s about hard work now. It’s about trying your hardest on the court, and if those goals are not met then you won’t be part of this team.”

©Daily Tennis News Wire

Topics: 10sballs.com, Andy Roddick, Australian tennis news, Bernard Tomic, Davis Cup, John Mcenroe, Lleyton Hewitt, Pat Rafter, Sports, Tennis, Tennis News, US Open