Davis Cup: Lleyton Hewitt says Bernard Tomic doesn’t fit into perfect Aussie team environment
AUSSIE legend Lleyton Hewitt has dealt Bernard Tomic a sobering backhand over the former wild child’s Davis Cup boast.
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LLEYTON Hewitt has claimed it is unlikely that Bernard Tomic will ever play in the Davis Cup again.
The Australian captain on Tuesday responded to Tomic’s comments that his country will never win the tournament without him, saying it was a number of things that made Tomic unappealing for future selection.
The Gold Coaster made the comments before heading into the African jungle for Channel Ten reality show, “I’m A Celebrity ... Get Me Out Of Here.”
Hewitt said he had the perfect team environment as it was and troublemaker Tomic would find it hard to win him over ever again.
“It is highly doubtful,” Hewitt said when asked of the chances of Tomic returning to the Davis Cup team.
“There’s a lot more that plays out behind the scenes than what Bernie says publicly. For me, he’s made some mistakes and it will be a long way back.
“With the team camaraderie we have at the moment, it’s as good as I’ve been a part of in a long time. We fully believe with the players we have here, we can go a long way.”
Hewitt’s team is made up of Nick Kyrgios, Alex de Minaur, Jordan Thompson, doubles specialist John Peers and Queenslander John Millman.
Tomic said before he went on the show that he knew “the only way for Australia to win the Davis Cup” was with a combination of him and Kyrgios.
The team’s Davis Cup tie against Germany will begin in Brisbane on Friday.
Hewitt said team members already in camp had laughed off Tomic’s claim.
“I don’t watch a lot of those kind of shows but a couple of boys have kept a close eye on it and it keeps them in good humour at night and gives them something to talk about,” Hewitt said.
“The team camaraderie is as good as I have seen for a long time.
“We believe we can go a long way and I back these boys.”
Asked if Australia could win without Tomic, Hewitt said: “I think everyone would agree he wouldn’t be able to help us right now.”
Hewitt admitted he wasn’t sure whether Tomic would continue in the sport, saying it was a decision the 25-year-old had to make himself.
“It’s strange. You either want to be a tennis player or you don’t,” he said of Tomic’s TV reality show appearance.
“I don’t know (if he will play again). He still wanted to play the Australian Open and tried to qualify and good on him for that.
“But it is pointless if he is playing in quallies and you are not committed to the sport.
“He’s wasting not only his time but also everyone around him.”
Originally published as Davis Cup: Lleyton Hewitt says Bernard Tomic doesn’t fit into perfect Aussie team environment