Lleyton Hewitt accuses Bernard Tomic of physical threats

Lleyton Hewitt’s response to Bernard Tomic’s allegations was as decisive as it was damaging to the latter’s already besmirched reputation.

Lleyton Hewitt speaks to the media during a press conference on day four of the Australian Open tennis tournament. Picture: AAP

Once renowned as the premier return in tennis, Lleyton Hewitt’s response to Bernard Tomic’s incendiary allegations was as decisive as it was damaging to the latter’s already besmirched reputation.

Three nights after the disgruntled Tomic levelled a series of startling accusations against the Davis Cup captain, the most serious of which related to the premise Hewitt was benefiting financially by abusing the wildcard system, the Queenslander received a blistering backhander.

Hewitt claimed the 26-year-old had levelled threats of physical violence against both himself and his family over the past 18 months while also attempting to blackmail him via Davis Cup selection and availability.

And the 2002 Wimbledon champion said that, after trying to help Tomic fulfil his potential, he had washed his hands of the Gold Coast resident and banned him from ever representing Australia again while he had a say in selection.

“I think the threats that I have received, for me and my family over a year and a half now, I don’t think anyone would reach out to a person who has treated them like that,” he said.

“(It has been) blackmail and physical. My family. My close-knit family.”

The relationship between Tomic and Hewitt has waxed and waned from the time the former’s father John insulted Australia’s last male grand slam champion by saying he was not good enough for his son to practice with at Wimbledon a decade ago.

The 2001 US Open champion did spend significant time attempting to assist Tomic, who was looked after for a period by Hewitt’s long-time manager David Drysdale.

But after a promising run in Cincinnati a couple of years ago, Tomic wanted to party instead of continuing to crack down ahead of the US Open, then had a mid-match meltdown in New York where he abused a fan in the stands.

Demands for Hewitt to fly to the Gold Coast to assist him with training in an off-season two years ago, instead of opting to travel south to Melbourne to join a broader camp, were effectively the last straw.

“We are trying to set cultural standards for the Davis Cup and representing Australia,” Hewitt said.

“He has not really been close to those in the last couple of years and since then, I haven’t had anything to do with Bernie at all.

“For me, the biggest frustration is that I feel like I really went out of my way to help Bernie, especially when I first came into the role. I spent a lot of time with him one-on-one at a lot of tournaments and tried to get a coaching structure and physical team around him to give him the best opportunity.

“At the end of the day, he still kept making the wrong mistakes. For me, it was probably the abuse that I copped from him that, in the end, I drew a line in the sand and I haven’t spoken to him since.”

And it is here that Hewitt said the intimidation began. Tomic has publicly stated this week that he would assault the 37-year-old if he was man enough to stand within one metre of him.

“With the abuse that I copped from him, in the end I drew a line in the sand and I haven’t spoken to him since,” he said.

“He won’t play Davis Cup while I have anything to do with it.”

Hewitt touched on his relationship with Nick Kyrgios when critical of his commitment to the sport. But he said that where the relationship with Tomic was over, Kyrgios’ career was salvageable.

“The biggest thing that Rochey and I have moving forward with the Davis Cup team is that we feel like we have a responsibility to set a cultural standard and right now Nick is not meeting those either,” he said.

“All we ask for is commit to the sport. Go out there and give 100 per cent, every time you step out on the court. It has got to be every week of the year. You are representing your country every single week of the year. You have kids back in Australia idolising these guys, so that is one thing.

“The other is to go out there and be a great role model the whole time. I am happy to help anyone who is willing to meet me halfway, but you have to enjoy going out there and playing. I think Nick, with what he said in Brisbane about not wanting to be at the tournament, that hurts one of our Australian events.

“He has some work to do to get up to those standards.”

The 37-year-old said Kyrgios’ use of social media on Wednesday night to take a pot-shot regarding his alleged preference of Alex de Minaur over himself and Tomic was an example of the type of behaviour that breached the standards he was trying to set.

“I have spoken to Nick, and I continue to speak, but standards have to be set and the role that I am in now, you have to have standards and we see it in all different sports. We have standards as well,” he said.

“All I want guys to do is to work hard and commit to the sport and want to play for Australia. I don’t think that is too much to ask.”

Meanwhile, one of the elements of criticism from Tomic was that Hewitt was favouring certain players in regards to giving them wildcards into Australian events. The glaring example is Thanasi Kokkinakis.

But those who received them have performed admirably, with Alexei Popyrin and Alex Bolt reaching the third round after stunning victories at Melbourne Park last night.

“That is the most disappointing thing, the biggest thing, because deep down Bernie knows what I have done for him and how much time I have spent,” he said.

“I have flown up to the Gold Coast to try and put teams around him when he was struggling mentally with certain issues as well. For me, it has been more disappointing. Probably the first two years I was in this role, it was pretty much Bernie and Nick were my two priorities.

“But for Bernie to come out and have a go, to get his facts wrong, is disappointing.”

When it comes to playing doubles in Davis Cup, Hewitt said he is unlikely to do so again. He said an appearance in Austria last September resulted from a string of players making themselves unavailable and those present injuring themselves.

But he hopes to continue playing regular tour events, saying it gave him an opportunity to assess how younger Australian players performed under pressure.