Australian Open: test Tomic’s Hewitt wildcard claims, says Pat Cash

Pat Cash has called for an ­investigation into Bernard Tomic’s allegations against Lleyton Hewitt favouring certain players.

Bernard Tomic and Lleyton Hewitt.

Former Wimbledon champion Pat Cash has called for an ­investigation into Bernard Tomic’s incendiary allegations that Davis Cup captain Lleyton Hewitt was favouring certain ­Australian players who were given lucrative wildcards into the Australian Open.

In an attack that appeared premeditated following his first-round loss to Marin Cilic, Tomic accused Hewitt of manipulating the wildcard system for his “pay cheque” but also to preference opportunities for those who train closely with him or are managed by an Adelaide-based firm that also controls the affairs of the former world No 1.

Tomic claimed Australian player Thanasi Kokkinakis, who defeated reigning Australian Open champion Roger Federer last March and who has previously fallen out with Hewitt over Davis Cup selections, was overlooked for a wildcard as a result.

Kokkinakis was forced to play qualifying rounds instead and ­yesterday blamed the extra match time for aggravating a shoulder injury that caused him to pull out of his first-round match at the Open, having won the first set. He refused to back Hewitt staying on as Davis Cup captain. “I am not ­answering that,” Kokkinakis said.

Tomic alleged Hewitt gifted wildcards to those who conformed to a system run by him or with links to Adelaide-based management company W Sports & Media. Alex Bolt and Alexie Popyrin are among those to receive wildcards for the Brisbane lead-up tournament and the Australian Open — the latter guaranteeing $75,000 for a first-round appearance — but they justified their entries with opening-round victories.

The Herald Sun reported last night that Tomic dared Hewitt two years ago to “come one metre from me if he is a man”. In response to claims he threatened Hewitt by email and text, Tomic said: “Two years ago, I said ‘If he ever tries to talk to me, I’ll knock him out’.”

Tennis greats John Newcombe, Wally Masur and Todd Woodbridge sprang to the defence of Hewitt, but Cash called for an independent investigation into Tomic’s claims. “I think it really needs to be looked into. If it’s clean then it’s clean; if it’s not then there’s a real problem” Cash told Melbourne sports radio ­channel SEN.

“I think it needs to be looked into and I don’t think Tennis Australia within themselves need to be looking into it. I think somebody else probably needs to be looking into that.

“Maybe Bernie’s got a point, maybe there’s a grain of truth in this, maybe there’s more than a grain of truth. If it is true then it’s a bit worrying, I’ve got to say … if you’re Thanasi Kokkinakis, your ranking was pretty high and you get overlooked by ­somebody who is within the management team, then you would wonder.”

Hewitt has accepted a wildcard into the Open doubles tournament. He will partner John-Patrick Smith. The champions will share $750,000. Those vanquished in the first round split $21,000.

Tomic ridiculed Hewitt for selecting himself to play doubles in Davis Cup and stated “no one liked him” while alleging he had fallen out with Kokkinakis and Nick Kyrgios as well.

“He’s just doing the wrong thing,” Tomic said.

“He’s playing Davis Cup — I thought he was retired. He used to hate Tennis Australia. It’s weird. And now he loves them. What’s happened here? But I guess he’s using them for other things and resources and … yep. And it’s for his pay cheque, yep.”

Tennis Australia officials held a long meeting at Melbourne Park yesterday before Hewitt spoke to host broadcaster Nine, for which he provides commentary. “I had a bit of a laugh … it’s Bernie being Bernie, especially after a loss last night, going in and complaining about a few things,” he said. “I just laugh it off and move forward.”

Masur, a former Davis Cup captain, supported Hewitt. “We don’t want a tennis match between Bernie and Lleyton played out in the media,” he said. “Bernie and Lleyton had a good history in Davis Cup and it’s important to have good communication.”

Newcombe said he supported Hewitt “100 per cent”.

“As I said to him last week, you take the high road. Everyone knows who you are,” he said.

Woodbridge said Tomic was trying to deflect from his loss to Cilic and had a history of blaming others.

Hewitt’s manager David Drysdale said there was a series of inaccuracies in Tomic’s allegations.