Rebel tennis player Bernard Tomic has labelled Australian champion Lleyton Hewitt a liar over claims he threatened his family.
Tomic sparked a bitter war of words after his first round loss at the Australian Open when he said Hewitt should quit as Australia’s Davis Cup captain because ‘no one [in the team] likes him anymore’.
Hewitt said he won’t allow Tomic to represent Australia in the event ‘while I have anything to do with it,’ adding that there was no chance of reconciliation between the pair.
‘No. I think the threats that I’ve received, for me and my family that I’ve had for a year and a half now – I don’t think anyone would reach out to a person that speaks like that,’ said Hewitt, who didn’t go into specifics about the alleged threats.
Tomic fired back on Friday, insisting he didn’t threaten Hewitt’s family, while earlier admitting he warned he would ‘knock him out if he ever tries to talk to me’.
Rebel tennis player Bernard Tomic has labelled Australian champion Lleyton Hewitt (pictured with wife Bec) a liar over claims he threatened his family
Once a mentor to Tomic, Hewitt expressed disappointment in their irreparable relationship as their feud continues to escalate
‘I have never threatened his family… To think how low of a person you actually and (it’s) why the Australian public never liked you,’ Tomic told the Herald Sun on Friday.
‘I got nothing to do with your family and I don’t care what’s wrong with you, you liar.’
Hewitt made the bombshell allegations in his post-match conference after he and doubles partner John-Patrick Smith crashed out in the first round of the Australian Open on Thursday night.
He went as far as calling Tomic a clown, claimed he tried to blackmail him in relation to Davis Cup and wildcard selections – and revealed the pair hadn’t spoken in 18 months.
Tomic fired back on Friday, insisting he didn’t threaten Hewitt’s family, while earlier admitting he warned he would ‘knock him out if he ever tries to talk to me’. Hewitt and wife Bec are seen with their son Cruz
‘I got nothing to do with your family and I don’t care what’s wrong with you, you liar,’ Tomic said
‘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,’ Hewitt said.
Asked if the threats were physical or verbal, Hewitt said it was both. Asked if he felt the threats were empty, Hewitt replied: ‘Yes.’
Once a mentor to Tomic, Hewitt expressed disappointment in their irreparable relationship.
‘For me, the biggest frustration is I feel like I really went out of my way to help Bernie, especially when I first came into the role,’ he said.
In this file photograph taken on September 13, 2016, Australia’s Nick Kyrgios (left) and Bernard Tomic (right) joke about when asked about their relationship by a reporter
‘I’ve spent a lot of time with him one-on-one at a lot of tournaments, tried to get a coaching structure and physical team around him to give him the best opportunity and at the end of the day, he still kept making the wrong mistakes.’
US tennis great John McEnroe described Hewitt’s explosive post-match conference as ‘pouring gasoline on the fire’.
‘But I think Lleyton felt it was important that he said his piece and explain his position and why he feels the way he does,’ McEnroe told Channel Nine.
‘It’s something that will be discussed and let’s hope we are able to move past that as quickly as possible.’
Hewitt went as far as calling Tomic a clown, claimed he tried to blackmail him in relation to Davis Cup and wildcard selections – and revealed the pair hadn’t spoken in 18 months. The pair are pictured together during Davis Cup World Group playoff in 2016
US tennis great John McEnroe described Hewitt’s explosive post-match conference as ‘pouring gasoline on the fire’
After blacklisting Tomic, Hewitt issued a stern warning for Nick Kyrgios to lift his game if he wants to play Davis Cup again.
Hewitt said he could ‘absolutely’ see Kyrgios returning to the Davis Cup fold but that he needed to change some of his behaviour.
He said Kyrgios currently wasn’t meeting the ‘cultural standards’ set by Davis Cup coach Tony Roche and himself but the door remained open.
The former world No.1 said he wanted the Australian players to always give 100 per cent to the sport and also be great role models.
Tomic is seen looking at the camera as Hewitt addresses media at a press conference ahead of Australia’s Davis Cup tie against Slovakia in Sydney in 2016
After blacklisting Tomic, Hewitt issued a stern warning for Nick Kyrgios (pictured) to lift his game if he wants to play Davis Cup again
‘You have to enjoy going out there and playing and what Nick said in Brisbane and not actually wanting to be there at the tournament, I think that hurts one of our Australian events,’ Hewitt said.
‘Nick and I have had a great relationship but standards have to be set and the role I’m in you have to have standards. He’s got work to do to get up to those standards.
‘All I want guys to do is commit to the sport, work hard and want to play for Australia and I don’t think that’s too much to ask.’
Kyrgios has twice in recent weeks had a dig at Hewitt’s courtside support of the country’s No.1 Alex de Minaur above other Australian players.
Kyrgios also lashed out on Twitter at Hewitt’s former coach Roger Rasheed and former AFL champion Gerard Healy with Hewitt talking to him about his use of social media.
Hewitt (right) said Tomic (left) won’t represent Australia in the Davis Cup again while he is coach. They are pictured in happier times in 2016
Davis Cup captain Lleyton Hewitt (pictured) opened up on his feud with Bernard Tomic