Australia’s Bernard Tomic has been ejected from a tournament in the Dominican Republic after being accused of heckling another player.
Tomic reached the quarter finals of the RD Open on the ATP Challenger Tour, but was knocked out by Ecuador’s Andres Andrade.
Andrade dominated Tomic in a 6-2, 6-2 win, and things were fiery between the two throughout. After the game ended, Tomic walked past the Ecudorian without shaking his hand.
Despite being eliminated, Tomic decided to stick around for a couple of days and watch the final courtside, which Andrade was contesting against Bosnia’s Damir Dzumhur.
At the end of the first set, Tomic was removed from the stands following a discussion with tournament officials after Andrade accused the 31-year-old of heckling him.
“I want this guy to be taken out,” the Ecudorian told the chair umpire.
It is believed that Tomic went to the extent of following Andrade at each change of ends to be on the same side of the net.
As it stands, Tomic is ranked 250th in the world.
While the former world No. 17 has been able to rise back up the rankings over the past two years after plummeting to 825 in September 2022, the incident at the RD Open is the latest chapter in what has been an underwhelming playing career plagued with controversial moments on and off court.
In June, Tomic retired early in the second set following a courtside argument with his girlfriend over when she had tested positive to Covid-19.
Tomic was complaining of illness throughout the game but had to continue with no doctors available. He later tested positive for Covid-19.
Source Agencies
