Johannesburg : Tennis Australia chief Steve Healy has described Bernard Tomic as ‘disrespectful’ and said Nick Kyrgios is indulging in unnecessary fights with Olympics officials amid calls for the controversial pair to be banned from the upcoming Rio Games.
His comments came days after Australia Olympics chef de mission Kitty Chiller warned the duo to improve their behaviour in order to avoid facing a ban from the Rio Games.
Tomic had attracted a torrent of criticism when he gave up on the last point of his first-round match against Italian Fabio Fognini by holding his racquet the wrong way round at the Madrid Masters last week.
He then aggravated the situation with his outspoken comments claiming he didn’t care about losing the point given the wealth he had earned already in his short career.
Describing the incident as ‘appalling’,Chiller had said that such behaviour goes against the spirit of the Olympics, adding that she wouldn’t want any Olympian to behave in similar manner.
Echoing similar views, Healy said Tomic has made a lot of progress in the recent times, but added that his insensitive comments unwinds all the good he does.
Responding to Chiller’s warning, Kyrgios said if Australia are not interested to send their best players to Rio ‘then so be it’.
Healy admitted that Kyrgios had played quite well throughout the year, but added that the world number 20 should not have responded to Chiller like that.
The Tennis Australia chief further said that Kyrgios should have simply acknowledged Chiller’s comments rather than indulging into that sort of verbal war.
The deadline for nominations of the team, which is to be approved by the Australian Olympic Committee, is June 30. (ANI)