Tomic fined and suspended by ITF

[woodrow1029]

Australia's teenage sensation Bernard Tomic fined and suspended

Leo Schlink
March 10, 2009 Star Australian junior Bernard Tomic has been suspended and fined by the International Tennis Federation for walking off court in Perth in December.

The 16-year-old has been barred from all ITF Pro Circuit tournaments until April 6.

He has also been fined $1560 for behaviour described as "major offences of aggravated behaviour".

Tomic claimed his first Challenger victory 10 days ago, shunting his ranking to world No.382.

The Gold Coast right-hander cannot contest any ITF Pro Circuit event until early next month, leaving the ATP World Tour as his only avenue to improving his ranking.

The ITF's penalty came after a long investigation into Tomic's contentious default at the Sorrento Challenger.

Tennis Australia last month vowed it would support any disciplinary measure imposed by the ITF, even if Tomic was barred from the Pro Tour for life.

Tomic was undoubtedly spared a heavier sanction after the ITF took into account the role of his father John in the furore.

John Tomic ordered his son off the court in protest at the officiating in Sorrento.

Tomic Sr was aggrieved that Marinko Matosevic, his son's opponent, was allegedly foot faulting regularly - and getting away with it.

After exchanging words with officials, Tomic demanded his son leave the court. He was automatically defaulted.

John Tomic, who was ordered to make a public apology by TA, has privately described the experience as the most humiliating of his life.

Bernard Tomic was initially fined $1350 for walking off court during the second-round match.

An argument ensued after the match between John Tomic and officials

 

[coloskier]

Not that John Tomic was right in what he was doing, but if the ITF officials were called to see if the player was foot faulting and nothing was done about it, I think I'd be a little pissed, too.

 

[saram]

Wow--a parent got upset and cost his son money, points, and suspension. Way to go, Dad!

 

[matchmaker]

It seems that fathers from Eastern European origin, think of that other Australian, Dokic, have a very dangerous character and can possibly put their children in big trouble with their federations.

 

[woodrow1029]

Not that John Tomic was right in what he was doing, but if the ITF officials were called to see if the player was foot faulting and nothing was done about it, I think I'd be a little pissed, too.

Maybe Matosevic wasn't foot faulting. Maybe he was stepping on the line by 1/4" of an inch. Almost impossible to see from the umpire's chair. No baseline umpires at a futures until semis or finals.

 

[miyagi]

Wow--a parent got upset and cost his son money, points, and suspension. Way to go, Dad!

Would he even be playing tennis without his parents support? I think not....

Whilst it wasn't the right thing to do, some people forget we live in the real world and we are all not robots so his dad got pissed off...Big deal!!! I wonder if the ITF put as much effort into making sure this kind of thing couldn't happen again as they did deciding what fine to give this guy?

 

[saram]

Would he even be playing tennis without his parents support? I think not....

Whilst it wasn't the right thing to do, some people forget we live in the real world and we are all not robots so his dad got pissed off...Big deal!!! I wonder if the ITF put as much effort into making sure this kind of thing couldn't happen again as they did deciding what fine to give this guy?

When your actions as a parent adversely effect the life of your son/daughter--you are not leading by example. If your temper is so hot that you cannot control yourself while watching your son/daughter play--then don't come to the matches.

It is a "big deal" when your effect your son/daughter in this manner.

 

[WillAlwaysLoveYouTennis]

It seems that fathers from Eastern European origin, think of that other Australian, Dokic, have a very dangerous character and can possibly put their children in big trouble with their federations.

Some fathers. No need to lump all of them in the same negative category. Goran Ivanisevic's father was rather cool and quite nice.

 

[gj011]

Some fathers. No need to lump all of them in the same negative category. Goran Ivanisevic's father was rather cool and quite nice.

Also Ana's and Jelena's fathers are not in this negative category.

I think you get this problem when you mix Eastern European genes with Australian sun

 

[veroniquem]

That really doesn't sound like a good reason to default. Some parents would do better by NOT attending their kids' matches. I remember Mike Agassi could be rabid too when Andre was young.

 

[WillAlwaysLoveYouTennis]

LOL yeah, went bonkers in the heat or something.

 

[miniRafa386]

another crazy tennis parent, what else is new.

 

[tahiti]

When your actions as a parent adversely effect the life of your son/daughter--you are not leading by example. If your temper is so hot that you cannot control yourself while watching your son/daughter play--then don't come to the matches.

It is a "big deal" when your effect your son/daughter in this manner.

I agree with this whole heartedly. Parents can sometimes be a liability.

 

[Leublu tennis]

Picture this scenario:

The opponent foot faults;

Umpire does not call foot faults;

Father complains;

Umpire does nothing;

Opponent continues to foot fault;

Tomic wins!!

Wouldn't that be nicer??

 

[NandoMania]

Not that John Tomic was right in what he was doing, but if the ITF officials were called to see if the player was foot faulting and nothing was done about it, I think I'd be a little pissed, too.

Understandably, but the officials were doing their jobs, and Tomic refused to do his. Tomic's job is to play tennis. The umpire either overrules or doesn.t Tomic's mistake was to pretend that his judgment of his opponent's feet was better from across the court than that of the umpire. Now he has time to reflect upon that fact.

 

[SoBad]

fastforward a few years to 2012...

Bernard TOMIC celebrated a famous victory last night, powering into the fourth round of the Djokovic Open with a thrilling three-set triumph.

But the win was soured by revelations he is being chased over an alleged RSD60,000 debt to a convicted Belgrade drug trafficker.

The darling of the Djokovic Open, who has battled back from depression and a loss of form, is accused of owing the money to dead drug importer Lolita Zimonicic, the Belgrade Times reports.

Her family wants a slice of Tomic’s Belgrade pay packet, which will be at least RSD88,000 after last night's triumph.

An overweight and desperate Tomic allegedly turned to Zimonicic - a close mate of fallen ATP star Dusan Vemic - at the depths of his emotional torment in early 2010.

Zimonicic, who died after a battle with coke late last year, took on his management duties and allegedly paid for Tomic and his Serbian boyfriend to live for months in a high-rise Belgrade apartment.

...........................

 

[saram]

Picture this scenario:

The opponent foot faults;

Umpire does not call foot faults;

Father complains;

Umpire does nothing;

Opponent continues to foot fault;

Tomic wins!!

Wouldn't that be nicer??

If you don't have enough game and skill to beat someone stepping over the line by an inch or two when the serve--you don't deserve the win--and it surely does not make the behavior of the father appropriate in any way, shape nor form.

I agree--Tomic could have won regardless of the foot faults. I wonder what the score was when the father 'flipped'?

 

[sureshs]

If you don't have enough game and skill to beat someone stepping over the line by an inch or two when the serve--you don't deserve the win--and it surely does not make the behavior of the father appropriate in any way, shape nor form.

I agree--Tomic could have won regardless of the foot faults. I wonder what the score was when the father 'flipped'?

If the opponent broke the rule, he is at fault. It doesn't matter who deserved the win or who would have won anyway. I have seen many foot faulters who derive undue advantage at the recreational level. I am sure being able to lean over more into the court will mean a lot at the pro level. The other side of it is that when a foot faulter is caught, he can lose his concentration and start thinking about it. I have seen some points where the foot faulter double faulted after being caught. All this factors into the outcome.

 

[lawrence]

walking off the court is extremely bad mannered

but cheating is worse, thats if he was cheating anyway

 

[AndrewD]

...........................

SoBad,

That's possibly the least intelligent post I've ever read on this message board - quite an achievement.

 

[SoBad]

SoBad,

That's possibly the least intelligent post I've ever read on this message board - quite an achievement.

AndrewD,

I don't think you mean that. You must be a better person than that.

SoBad.:-|

 

[rubberduckies]

Picture this scenario:

The opponent foot faults;

Umpire does not call foot faults;

Father complains;

Umpire does nothing;

Opponent continues to foot fault;

Tomic wins!!

Wouldn't that be nicer??

Except it was probably more like this:

Tomic was losing.

Father couldn't handle it.

Father accused opponent of foot faulting.

Umpire checked and decided he wasn't foot faulting.

Father pulls his son off the court.


They should ban Tomic's dad for a year for this type of behavior.
It would be like in the NBA if a few charge/block calls don't go your way and you decide to drag the team off the court.

 

[NandoMania]

SoBad,

That's possibly the least intelligent post I've ever read on this message board - quite an achievement.

:lol:

 

[edmondsm]

Anybody know what Bernard actually did? What were his "major offenses of aggravated behavior"? From the description of the event it sounds like dad flipped out and ordered that Bernard leave the court. I think the penalty is harsh if dad was the sole instigator. Be nice to know what the kid did to deserve the penalty.

 

[edmondsm]

SoBad,

That's possibly the least intelligent post I've ever read on this message board - quite an achievement.

How can that be. The guy comes up with a completely original, fictional tail of Bernard Tomic's future and you think that THAT is the least intelligent post ever??? Obviously Nadal_Freak has been on your ignore list for a while.

I thought it was a creative and well worded post. It was totally fictional and possibly a bit offensive, but unintelligent, I think not.

 

[drake]

Tomic jr. can be a bit of a hot head especially from one so young, now I see where the fruit comes from .... a pity really.

 

[$$$$mony$$$$]

i feel bad for tomic. isn't he like sixteen years old? anyway i feel that his father is the one to blame because when i was 16 i still always thought may parents where right and i followed what they told me. i bet tomic jr. didn't want to forfeit but felt he had to listen to his elder. always bad when the parents get involved in a match at any level

 

[Vegodsky]

I feel for the kid, I really do...He is being painted as the next Australian sensation, and god does Australia need it. He is 16 so its hard to be that critical of him though. If your dad demands that you come of the court it's hard not to. I think if anything his dad is the one who should chastised. Definitely not any more than a one month suspension for sure.

 

[saram]

How can that be. The guy comes up with a completely original, fictional tail of Bernard Tomic's future and you think that THAT is the least intelligent post ever??? Obviously Nadal_Freak has been on your ignore list for a while.

I thought it was a creative and well worded post. It was totally fictional and possibly a bit offensive, but unintelligent, I think not.

This is what he was quoting--not the fictional story:

"Originally Posted by SoBad View Post

..........................."

It was just a bunch of this ................................

 

[CanadianChic]

A lifetime ban would have been ridiculous. I don't think this is unfair given he walked off court. I think his father should be banned from attending for a longer period of time as it appears he was the main problem. I also think the calls should have been looked into. It sounds like this was a lose-lose for all involved (except his opponent of course). Hopefully he learns from this and begins to voice his own concerns and holds himself in check in the future.

 

[maverick66]

sounds like tomic and his dad pulled a jeff tarango. storming off the court in a tournament is always a good way to show your unhappy with the calls. especially when your winning. even if the calls are going against you your still winning.

 

[woodrow1029]

A lifetime ban would have been ridiculous. I don't think this is unfair given he walked off court. I think his father should be banned from attending for a longer period of time as it appears he was the main problem. I also think the calls should have been looked into. It sounds like this was a lose-lose for all involved (except his opponent of course). Hopefully he learns from this and begins to voice his own concerns and holds himself in check in the future.

There was a chair umpire. What other kind of looking in to it do you want? Tomic's dad has a history of doing things to try to get into the heads of the umpires and the opponents. The chair umpire involved would have called foot faults if they were seen. Also, the chair umpire has the final authority on line calls, including foot faults. There is no other person that can "look into them."

I do agree by the way that a lifetime ban would have been stupid. I believe though he was only banned from ITF futures for the month, which means he can still play challengers and ATP Tour events..

 

[CanadianChic]

I understand that there was a chair umpire, but if there are no video challenges, perhaps new methods need to be employed to ensure the umpire "sees" things that others do (especially if it is a frequent occurance). I don't follow the challengers very much but can understand the frustration as it unfortunately occurs on the pro tour as well. All in all, I lay the biggest portion of the blame on the father. At sixteen, he is still too young to not be influenced and directed by his father.

 

[WillAlwaysLoveYouTennis]

Just on the father/child issue, and being honest on an average level in "normal" conditions, as a person who is a father and has a child who is old enough to do a certain amount of things on their own but who totally has their own mind and personality as well (and they competitively play sport).....Fathers can get pissed off and decide and tell their child what they should and are going to do and make them do it, and the child will usually do it even if they don't necessarily agree with it at the time. Such as this case, in walking off the court, although the son seemed to demonstrate some questionable vocabulary and behavior on the court. Not all relationships are the same of course. I give the option and encourage my child to tell me when they feel I am wrong or have been put upon because even as adults we are not always right. (And as a girl, geez, they can seriously tell you and tell you strongly about such things!) Well, everyone is different.

I can understand the father being irritated when they feel a call is not being made that is going against their child, very much so, but I don't agree with the response to have their child leave the court. Life is unfair often, on and off a tennis court, this response sends the wrong message, although I don't think anyone was saying this father was right in what he did. You can always file a protest later, and teach your child to overcome adversity and bad line calls with a professional demeanour since they are striving to play on a professional tour.

 

[edmondsm]

This is what he was quoting--not the fictional story:

"Originally Posted by SoBad View Post

..........................."

It was just a bunch of this ................................

Oh ok. Thanks for clearing that up Saram.

 

[Leublu tennis]

Bernard TOMIC celebrated a famous victory last night, powering into the fourth round of the Djokovic Open with a thrilling three-set triumph.

But the win was soured by revelations he is being chased over an alleged RSD60,000 debt to a convicted Belgrade drug trafficker.

The darling of the Djokovic Open, who has battled back from depression and a loss of form, is accused of owing the money to dead drug importer Lolita Zimonicic, the Belgrade Times reports.

Her family wants a slice of Tomic’s Belgrade pay packet, which will be at least RSD88,000 after last night's triumph.

An overweight and desperate Tomic allegedly turned to Zimonicic - a close mate of fallen ATP star Dusan Vemic - at the depths of his emotional torment in early 2010.

Zimonicic, who died after a battle with coke late last year, took on his management duties and allegedly paid for Tomic and his Serbian boyfriend to live for months in a high-rise Belgrade apartment.

...........................

You must have been to Belgrade at one time. Of course the same setting could hold for Moscow, no?

 

[Leublu tennis]

If you don't have enough game and skill to beat someone stepping over the line by an inch or two when the serve--you don't deserve the win--and it surely does not make the behavior of the father appropriate in any way, shape nor form.

I agree--Tomic could have won regardless of the foot faults. I wonder what the score was when the father 'flipped'?

That would be nice to know. Who was leading?

 

[origmarm]

That would be nice to know. Who was leading?

Agreed, I can't find out from any of the articles. Very different message I think being sent depending on that.

 

[armsty]

This coming from an Aussie, what a ****ing woman.

 

[coloskier]

Maybe Matosevic wasn't foot faulting. Maybe he was stepping on the line by 1/4" of an inch. Almost impossible to see from the umpire's chair. No baseline umpires at a futures until semis or finals.

Since it has not been mentioned just how bad it was from others who saw the match, I guess everything here is just speculation. But if it was blatant, yeah, I'd be pissed.

 

[SoBad]

:lol:

Why don't you just relax?

How can that be. The guy comes up with a completely original, fictional tail of Bernard Tomic's future and you think that THAT is the least intelligent post ever??? Obviously Nadal_Freak has been on your ignore list for a while.

I thought it was a creative and well worded post. It was totally fictional and possibly a bit offensive, but unintelligent, I think not.

Thanks for your comment. Do you really think it could be viewed as offensive though? Seriously, at this point in his career any media coverage is good coverage... He could only dream of being the subject of a high profile scandal at this point...

 

[SoBad]

This is what he was quoting--not the fictional story:

"Originally Posted by SoBad View Post

..........................."

It was just a bunch of this ................................

Oh ok. Thanks for clearing that up Saram.

Haha OK I get it now, he was just upset that the story I wrote ended so abruptly... Well actually "........................." just means "to be continued"!

 

[SoBad]

You must have been to Belgrade at one time. Of course the same setting could hold for Moscow, no?

What can I say, I am just a tremendous tennis analyst! Moscow is quite different though in that most of the time scandals don't make their way into the media, whereas scandals that do appear in the media are nothing but black PR.

That would be nice to know. Who was leading?

Agreed, I can't find out from any of the articles. Very different message I think being sent depending on that.

I don't know, but I bet Tomic was losing. What insane father in their right mind would start acting up when the kid is in the lead?

 

[origmarm]

I don't know, but I bet Tomic was losing. What insane father in their right mind would start acting up when the kid is in the lead?

Yeah you would think, still it wouldn't be the first time someone blew up while ahead. A lot of times you'll see it on a "bad call" and they won't storm out but they'll lose the match because of it.

 

[LPShanet]

The thing that strikes me as odd about all this is the degree of punishment that was originally discussed. Although he was just suspended for a short time in the end, they were originally talking about a lifetime ban. Certainly there should be repercussions for walking off the court in the middle of a match, but a lifetime ban???? Are they kidding?

There are dozens, if not hundreds, of accounts of players walking off the court in the middle of a match, as a protest to something or other. It happens all the time at all levels of the game. I've been tempted a few times myself. More often than not it's officiating that causes it. Some players (Nastase, McEnroe) have multiple cases of doing this even at the PRO level. No one even vaguely considered banning either of them for life, and that's not just because of their prominence, it's because it really isn't that big a deal. After all, there's a certain amount of automatic punishment inherent in doing it: you lose the match (and any ranking points, money, chance of winning, etc.).

Morally, it's really not much different than feigning an injury and retiring from the match, and we know full well that that happens all the time. In fact, it's fairly well known that players will drop matches in order to fly to the next tournament if they think they have a better chance of making more money at the next tour stop. Effectively, they've all just walked off the court.

Furthermore, the fact that his father ordered him to do it is pretty relevant. Imagine the opposite scenario...how many 16 year old kids would outright defy their father's orders in a public place, knowing full well they had to go home with him? Sure, it's clear that Tomic senior needs some help, but it seems that someone is trying to make a point here that relates to other things he's done, rather than just dealing with the specific situation. And no one seems to be able to quantify what either Tomic has done in the past that was so awful.

Clearly the kid is a bit messed up, and the father is a case, but the best thing they'd do is stop the urination contest that's obviously been going on for years between the national tennis suits and Tomic's dad, and just get on with trying to nurture the only real talent Australia has had in 10 years.

 

[origmarm]

The thing that strikes me as odd about all this is the degree of punishment that was originally discussed. Although he was just suspended for a short time in the end, they were originally talking about a lifetime ban. Certainly there should be repercussions for walking off the court in the middle of a match, but a lifetime ban???? Are they kidding?

Yeah this is just plain ridiculous, you'd think he beat a ballboy with his racquet or something . A fine and a temporary ban certainly but anything more is just overkill

 

[NandoMania]

I understand that there was a chair umpire, but if there are no video challenges, perhaps new methods need to be employed to ensure the umpire "sees" things that others do (especially if it is a frequent occurance). I don't follow the challengers very much but can understand the frustration as it unfortunately occurs on the pro tour as well. All in all, I lay the biggest portion of the blame on the father. At sixteen, he is still too young to not be influenced and directed by his father.

We know Tomic was all the way across the court at the other end. Does anybody know where Tomic's father was when the so-called foot faults occurred? After all, if a man will encourage his child to violate the rules by walking off the court during a match, wouldn't that same man lie about what he saw and when he saw it?

 

[Gimmick]

I find it curious that the rule regarding leaving was enforced but the rule regarding foot faults wasn't.

Why don't we just remove foot faults from the book if they don't matter. Or redefine them to something more obvious if that's the problem. Either one would be better than having a rule on the books that no one follows. That just makes people think all the rules are optional.

 

[edmondsm]

Haha OK I get it now, he was just upset that the story I wrote ended so abruptly... Well actually "........................." just means "to be continued"!

Oh, Saram made it sound like all you did was post "............." and then went back and added the rest.

Anyway, yes creating a story about future Bernard Tomic being involved in Eastern European drug deals could be viewed as offensive. I don't personally find it offensive, but I wouldn't be surprised if someone claimed it was.

 

[SoBad]

Oh, Saram made it sound like all you did was post "............." and then went back and added the rest.

Anyway, yes creating a story about future Bernard Tomic being involved in Eastern European drug deals could be viewed as offensive. I don't personally find it offensive, but I wouldn't be surprised if someone claimed it was.

Yeah well people just make all kinds of claims these days, which is why each of us needs to treasure their unblemished reputation of impeccable integrity. The story by the way does not suggest Tomic getting involved in the drug deals directly. I would never suggest that, just like I would never suggest that Federer is a washed up cokehead has-been whose only chance at staying on the radar is making audacious claims of impending fatherhood.

I do see your angle on the Saram comment though, just goes to show once again that no good deed goes unpunished.