Bernard Tomic sensationally kicked out of tennis event after ugly act towards rival
Tomic was booted from the stands for heckling the player who'd beaten him two days prior.
Aussie tennis player Bernard Tomic has sensationally been kicked out of an ATP Challenger final in the Dominican Republic after relentlessly booing and heckling the player who beat him just two days prior. Tomic was knocked out of the RD Open in the Dominican Republic 6-2, 6-2 by Ecuadorian Andres Andrade in the quarter-final on Friday morning (AEST).
Andrade won his semi-final the following day and met Damir Dzumhur in the final. And Tomic made it his mission to ensure he wouldn't claim the title, moving himself around the venue throughout the final to heckle and jeer Andrade. Still clearly bitter from his tournament exit, Tomic was relentless as he ensured he was at the closest possible point to Andrade at all times so he could hear his taunts.
After losing the first set, Andrade had enough of his antics and called for Tomic to be removed immediately, which led to a huge cheer from the crowd who were clearly not impressed by his actions either. "I want this guy to be taken out," Andrade could be heard saying as Tomic was escorted out. The chair umpire responded by telling him he had been removed. Andrade still went on to lose the final in straight sets 6-4, 6-4.
Tomic's actions come after Andrade criticised the Aussie for his lack of sportsmanship following his defeat. "I may not be a great tennis player, but what I am not is a bad person and a bad loser," Andrade said.
This is crazy 😂😂
Tomic lost to Andrade in QF and got a bit saucy
Andrade went all the way to the final and Bernard Tomic went undercover in the crowd to mock and cheer against him
He was asked to leave by the organizers, understandably https://t.co/v4nZ3vfvF0— Tennis Masterr (@tennismasterr) August 18, 2024
Brought to my attention that Bernard Tomic was allegedly evicted from the Challenger in Santo Domingo. He lost in quarters to Ecuadorian Andres Andrade who made the final but lost. Tomic returned 4 the final & went side 2 side allegedly hassling Andrade in the 2nd set.
— Craig Gabriel (@crosscourt1) August 18, 2024
Bernard Tomic's 'crazy' act latest in bizarre tennis career
The heckling incident is the latest in a string of bizarre acts from a man who was expected to do great things on the tennis court. In June he retired mid-match after getting into a bizarre argument with his girlfriend.
Tomic was dominated 6-1 in the first set and looked completely disinterested, refusing to run for wide balls and putting minimal effort into his own shots and serves. Throughout the match he was complaining of illness and minutes before pulling the pin at the start of the second set got into an argument with his girlfriend Keely Hannah, who was pictured sitting in the stands, about when she tested positive for Covid.
The Aussie was at one point in time the World No.17 but is now World No.250 and hasn't been inside the top 100 since 2019. After plummeting to World No.825 in August 2022 (his lowest ranking in 14 years), Tomic had started to turn things around before once again seeing his form drop off after winning the M25 Chennai tournament on the ITF World Tennis Tour in January. His win-loss on the Challenger Tour this year is 12-13 and his moments of madness continue to overshadow the raw talent he possesses.
