Bernard Tomic admits Kyrgios had to pay for his flight home, saying he lost his wallet
Gold Coast tennis pro Bernard Tomic admits fellow Australian tennis star Nick Kyrgios once had to fork out for his flight - but says he had to return the favour.
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UPDATE: Gold Coast tennis pro Bernard Tomic has admitted Nick Kyrgios once had to pay for his flight home - but says it was because he’d lost his wallet.
The former Davis Cup team mates continue to war on social media, with Tomic firing up a response to Kyrgios’ claims he had to help Tomic pay for a flight home from Shanghai one time.
Tomic replied: “Why you throwing cheap shots Nicky boys?
“Yes you helped me out in Shanghai when we were mates playing doubles together. I lost my wallet. And I paid you back. Big deal,” he wrote on his Instagram followed by a laughing face emoji.
“The same thing happened to you in Atlanta. I paid your way when you lost your card, which if I was petty like you, you’d still owe me. But I don’t go telling the papers this.
“This is all childish. My offer still stands bro. Step up or shut up.”
Tomic, playing on the lower level challenger tour trying to rebuild his ranking from outside the top 400 back to somewhere near his peak of 17, has challenged Kyrgios to a $1m one-off tennis match.
Kyrgios has responded by saying he has “bigger fish to fry”, is one of the world’s elite and preparing for Wimbledon - and he’ll play Tomic when he gets back to that level.
Kyrgios has said: “As for now I think you have some bigger life challenges so best of luck.”
EARLIER: Gold Coast tennis pro Bernard Tomic has fuelled the simmering verbal fight with Australian tennis star Nick Kyrgios once again by saying he ‘chickened’ out of a match with Tomic.
On Thursday afternoon Tomic posted three stories to his Instagram snapping back at a comment Kyrgios made earlier in the week.
Kyrgios claimed he had to help pay for his flight home once from Shanghai but finished his video by saying he wished him well.
Tomic responded and said he wanted Kygrios to admit he was a ‘chicken’ for not versing him in a match in the French Open.
He began the video and said: “Nicky boy, Nicky boy, I love ya, you’re my brother but I have to admit you’re a chicken”.
“I am only responding to the trash talk which you started,” he said.
“Don’t start a fight you can’t finish.
“But most importantly don’t chicken out and run away just like you did at the French Open when you were supposed to play for the second time.
“You pulled out on-sight.
“You were training there and found out you were playing me and then you happened to have an elbow injury … yeah right.
“My offer still stands for you.
“When I get back, do yourself the biggest favour and don’t chicken out. That’s all I ask,” Tomic finished the video.
EARLIER: Australian tennis star Nick Kyrgios is aiming to “kill” his simmering verbal feud with Bernard Tomic by wishing him all best in his bid to climb back to the top.
Kyrgios, who this week savaged Tomic by claiming he’d had to help pay for his flight home once from Shanghai, told Tomic via his two million Instagram followers he wanted to “kill” this debate: “I hope everything is well. I’ll verse you when I verse you when you get back on the main tour.
“As for now I think you have some bigger life challenges so best of luck,” Kyrgios said.
He started his message by saying he’d seen Tomic’s $1 million match challenge: “I’m still playing on the tour my brother, I have bigger fish to fry. I’m actually in a grass court training block right now.”
Kyrgios added he was preparing for Wimbledon and the US Open hard court swing.
“I understand you are at that Future and Challenger level right now. If you want to play me and you want to set this straight just get back to the top of the sport. I’m right here I’m not going anywhere. I’m still elite and beating some of the best in the world.
“I’ll be waiting for you and if you are capable of playing the decent level of tennis you have shown there is no need to go through media and use my name to get relevant again. Let’s just see your results, stop living in past, and start playing in the main tour.”
EARLIER: Nick Kyrgios claims he once paid for Bernard Tomic’s flight home so now Tomic is challenging him to a one-off tennis match – with $1 million on the table.
“Put your money where your mouth is or accept that I’m better than you, full stop,” Tomic told the Bulletin on Thursday night.
Speaking from overseas where he is grinding away on the lower level trying to build his ranking up from 400s, Tomic added: “Talk is cheap. I’m happy to make it two nil (to me) any time.
“I’ll put up a million and you put up a million, let’s see who is the better player. Let the public see who is better for once and for all. I’ve beaten you easy before and I’ll do it again. Plus we’ll play on grass so you don’t make any excuses.
“Anywhere, anytime,” Tomic said.
It is the latest verbal serve between the pair of Aussie tennis stars who have spent the week feuding.
It started at the end of last year when Tomic – promising to have a serious crack at the pro tour with an estimated four to five years left in his career – said he was a better player than Kyrios and “still am”.
This week, when reminded of the boast, Kyrios told media it was time for Tomic to “quiet down” and questioned if he was still even playing.
Tomic responded by saying it was clear he was an “idol” for Kyrgios, having set records as a child prodigy for youngest Australian Open match winner, Wimbledon quarter-finalist and Australian Davis Cup player.
It prompted Kyrgios to post to his two million Instagram followers a claim that he once had to pay for Tomic – “because you had no money” – to fly home from Shanghai.
EARLIER: Australian tennis star Nick Kyrgios has served up a savage take down of criticism from Bernard Tomic, saying he once had to pay for the Gold Coaster’s flight home.
The pair have been locked in a verbal feud since late last year when Tomic – once ranked 17 but now down in the 400s – said he was better than Kyrgios and “I still am”.
Kyrgios posted to his two million Instagram followers overnight: “Haha Tomic – let’s not forget the time I paid for your flight home from Shanghai because you had no money. Hahaha rewrite history, you are the most HATED athlete in Australia. You are right no one can take over that.”
Kyrgios then also posted a screen shot of Tomic’s recent results, showing multiple losses at lower level tour events as Tomic grinds away at his comeback.
“Bernard, I didn’t realise it was this bad. I low-key feel bad now. Hit me up if you need me to help you remember how to play. Geezus.”
Tomic has earned more almost $9 million in prizemoney alone during his tennis career, not including endorsements.
The Bulletin has asked Tomic if he wants to respond to Kyrgios’ latest serve and about the claim he had to help him with a flight home.
EARLIER: GOLD Coast tennis pro Bernard Tomic has hit back at a verbal serve from fellow Australian star Nick Kyrgios, saying he’s always been Nick’s “idol”.
Ahead of the sport’s most prestigious event Wimbledon, Kyrgios said he was probably the world’s best player on grass before he was asked about comments from Tomic earlier this year gloating he was better than Kyrgios.
Kyrgios responded: “Better in what way? I’ve got a higher career high, more money, more wins and give back whenever I can.
“It’s time for Bernard Tomic to just quiet down. He ain’t even playing anymore. I’ve got years left.”
Tomic, formerly ranked 17 in the world, has been grinding away at lower level tour events to rebuild his ranking now in the 300s. Tomic, training and touring in Europe with younger sister Sara helping with his preparation, told the Bulletin: “Look, the only logical explanation is that I’m his idol – he’s always been in my shadows growing up. That’s why anytime someone mentions my name to him, it gets under his skin,” Tomic said.
“He knows he can’t rewrite history as well. The records that I set when I was 16, 17, 18, and 19,” Tomic said, noting he was the youngest Grand Slam quarterfinalist at Wimbledon since two-time winner Boris Becker, the youngest person to win a match at the Australian Open at 16 and the youngest Australian Davis Cup player.
“He knows that he can’t change that, he can’t rewrite that. And he would love to shut me up if he could, he knows he can’t, he knows my style dominates his, and he knows he would lose.”
The feud between the two Aussies started after Bernard baited his former ex-Davis Cup teammate on Instagram in a December post, saying he was better than him in their prime – “and I still am”.
Tomic claimed because of the training sessions the two had done together he was able to pick apart Kyrgios’s serve and style when they compete.
“Because I train with him, I pick where he’s serving and I know where he’s at so that style doesn’t really bother me. Tomic said.
Kyrgios rejected the claim Tomic was the better player of the two. Comparing his career achievements thus far to Tomic’s.
“I have more titles. I don’t think he has any big scalp to his name. No Rafa, no Federer, no Djokovic.”
Kyrgios said in the December Instagram post that he “looked forward to seeing him at the Australian Open.”
The two never got to face off then, after Tomic was knocked out during the Australian Open qualifying, saying he was unwell with Covid during the game.
In their only match, an exhibition, Tomic won in straight sets.
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