Nick Kyrgios • Bernie Tomic Both Leave Wimbledon 2019 With Fines For Bad Behavior

Kyrgios, Tomic, and other Australians leading the way at Wimbledon… in fines

 

By Ricky Dimon

 

One week into Wimbledon, an Australian woman is leading the way into the fourth round. Ashleigh Barty, the No. 1 seed and reigning French Open champion, has coasted into week two. As for the Australian men, they are leading the way in a different category: fines.

 

Bernard Tomic (who else!) tops the chart at $58,500–or all of his first-round prize money. He was deemed to have failed to meet a professional standard in terms of effort level during his 6-2, 6-1, 6-4 loss to Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, which lasted all of 58 minutes.

 

“Are you feeling okay,” Tomic was asked in his press conference.

 

“Well, yeah, I just played terrible,” he responded.

 

The 26-year-old was then asked about his effort.

 

In between declining to answer various questions, Tomic had this to say: “Well, I returned pretty bad. Didn’t see his serve. Pretty terrible match…. Tough first round. I knew if I didn’t feel good I’d lose this match quickly. We played so fast. It’s not like we’re gonna have a lot of rallies out there, for sure.’’

 

When asked if he has the same passion for tennis as he did when he was younger, Tomic replied, “Yes.”

 

And did he think he will get fined for a lack of effort? “I think I played as best as I could. It’s just I played terrible.”

 

“I think it’s a little rough, maybe, all of the prize money,” Kyrgios said. “One, Tsonga is an unbelievable player. Two, I think people kind of when they watch Bernard, they just think because he moves a little slow, plays the game a little slower, he doesn’t look maybe as engaged as…I don’t know, say…a (Pablo) Carreno Busta or something. They just assume he’s maybe not trying or giving 100 percent.

 

“I don’t agree with fining the guy all of his prize money. He earned his right to be in the draw. He played the whole year. He’s obviously winning enough to be at the most prestigious tournament in the world. To take all his prize money I think is outrageous.”

 

Kyrgios exited this tournament following his second-round loss to Rafael Nadal with only $3,000 subtracted from his winnings. The 24-year-old was docked that amount for an unsportsmanlike conduct violation following his five-set win over countryman Jordan Thompson on Tuesday.

 

Thompson, meanwhile, was hit with a $2,000 fine ball abuse. Other Aussies on the offending list so far are Akira Santillan ($1,500 for his qualifying outburst) and Alexei Popyrin ($2,500 for an audible obscenity in a second-round setback against Daniil Medvedev).

 

But if the Australians need to go drink away their sorrows, they know right where to go. Just ask Kyrgios, who prepared for Thursday’s showdown against Nadal with a night out at the Dog & Fox–a well-known pub in Wimbledon village.

 

With everyone out of the tournament, Aussie men have plenty of time to hit up the Dog & Fox. But the question is: do they still have enough money?

 

Ricky contributes to 10sballs.com and also maintains his own tennis website, The Grandstand. You can follow him on twitter at @Dimonator.

 

Editor’s Note: We love The Dog And The Fox. An early visit was with Craig Kardon while he was coaching Martina Navratilova. (cold Chinese food?) (Porsche) We know the late nights might have worked for Nick in Acapulco. But really? Wimbledon? Acapulco with matches starting practically after dark because of the heat.

And doesn’t every little kid who picks up a tennis racket say  “Oh wow I’m going to win Acapulco when I grow up…’’ (LJ)