Bernard Tomic’s father has claimed he will take legal action against tennis star Lleyton Hewitt as the row between the two Aussie players continues.
John Tomic told The Sydney Morning Herald in an exclusive chat, his son was “traumatised” as a teenager by the 37-year-old.
The concerned dad said Hewitt threatened Bernard back in 2010, and warned he would never play Davis Cup again for the country if he didn’t share details about Tennis Australia.
According to John, the current world number 127 stormed into his son’s hotel room during the tournament and demanded he confess who from Tennis Australia was telling him what to say to the public.
The father told The Sydney Morning Herald Hewitt was angered by comments Bernard had made on television and threatened the teenager would be ousted from the Davis Cup if he didn’t share the information. John added that his son was so shocked by the incident he struggled to sleep that night.
“He was young… 16 and a half or 17. How can you come in the room and threaten him and say you won’t play Davis Cup and say you won’t be close to me if you don’t tell me who from Tennis Australia is telling you what to say?” an outraged John said to the publication.
Bernard’s dad went on to say that they would take legal action against Hewitt next week. According to The Sydney Morning Herald Hewitt told the publication he knew nothing about the incident.
The comments made by John, follow Hewitt’s accusations Bernard had blackmailed him and made threats against him and his family.
Just days after Bernard, 26, accused the Davis Cup captain of returning to the game for financial gain, Hewitt hit back with a series of shocking allegations in his own speech in a televised press conference and published by several news outlets on social media – branding his fellow tennis star a “clown”.
From claiming Bernard has levelled a series of threats (some physical) against him and his family over the last 18 months, to alleging Bernard blackmailed him by threatening not to play the Davis Cup, Hewitt held little back in his answers to reporters.
“It was probably the abuse I copped,” Hewitt said in the press conference. “In the end I drew a line in the sand. He won’t play Davis Cup while I have anything to do with it.”
Hewitt added: “I just think 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 that anyone would reach out to a person that speaks like that.”
When asked whether he had received physical threats, Hewitt replied: “Both. Blackmail threats and physical.”