Funding spat turns into Tomic warfare
THE festering pre-Wimbledon spat between John Tomic and Tennis Australia continues to worsen with Tomic accusing ex-world No.1 Pat Rafter of not caring about Australian tennis.
Tomic launched another broadside at Rafter after TA’s head of performance confirmed he would stop “the incredible amount of money invested in the Tomics”.
Father and coach to Australia’s top-ranked man Bernard and junior Sara – who grew up on the Gold Coast – Tomic said: “On which basis can he cut funding in Australia? It is not his private company.
“It means money will be left in TA’s budget that he can use for his self and all administration. Why he did not cut TA administration (and) their high expenses overseas – hotels, first-class flight tickets, food.
“All of them taking wives and kids on TA expenses. Why is he cutting grassroots?”
Bernard is unavailable for next month’s Davis Cup tie in Darwin because John is upset at TA’s decision not to financially support Sara.
“I think the disappointing part from our side is when you invest so much in an individual – and it has been an incredible amount of money invested in the Tomics, ridiculous amounts,” Rafter said.
“And whether or not John will not admit that. He may, I don’t know – but that’s (funding) stopping. And then for him (John) to say, ‘I’m not going to (allow Bernard) to play Davis Cup because I’m not giving you (John) extra money, that’s really disappointing.”
Rafter yesterday confirmed other players in the 23-24 age bracket, would also be cut.
“At some stage a guy just can’t keep on getting funding and, with funding, you become a bit soft as well, if everything is paid for you all of the time,” he said. “There’s gonna be a few guys next year who are gonna have a rude awakening.
“So they’ve either got to give it a real crack or give the game away.”