I'm bored and don't respect tennis, says Tomic – video & text

Bernard Tomic says he felt “bored” and could not find motivation during his straight-set defeat by Mischa Zverev at Wimbledon.

The 24-year-old Australian lost 6-4 6-3 6-4 to Germany’s world number 30 in one hour and 19 minutes.

Tomic was ranked 17 in January 2016 but has fallen to 59 in the world.

He said: “I think I don’t respect the sport enough. You know, I’m going to play another 10 years, and I know after my career I won’t have to work again.”

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Tomic, who has won three ATP Tour titles, has earned almost £4m in career prize money, including £35,000 for his defeat by Zverev.

When asked in his post-match news conference if he should repay the money from his limp defeat, he replied: “We all work for money. At 34, maybe I can donate to charity. If you ask Roger Federer if he’ll do it, I’ll do it.”

Tomic, who has not won a tour title since 2015, has struggled for form this year, winning just nine matches overall and losing in the first round at the French Open and now Wimbledon.

“I felt a little bit bored out there,” he said.

“The last sort of year or two, nothing motivates. It’s not I don’t give my best. I still try to go for it in a way.”

‘Tomic should stay at home’ – analysis

Nine-time Wimbledon singles champion Martina Navratilova

“It’s disrespectful to the sport and disrespectful to the history of the sport. If you can’t get motivated at Wimbledon it’s time to find another job. The spectators paid good money to come here and watch Wimbledon and the guy shows up and doesn’t try, he can’t be bothered. Just stay at home.

Australian two-time Wimbledon doubles champion Rennae Stubbs

To say the things that he said in the press conference today is a disgrace.

You’re an embarrassment to yourself, and not only to the sport but to Australian tennis.

Tomic’s previous controversies

Tomic was criticised for ruling himself out of the Rio 2016 Olympics because of an “extremely busy” schedule, a year after he was dropped by Tennis Australia – for a second time – from their Davis Cup squad.

He was left out in 2015 after accusing the governing body of abandoning him following hip surgery in 2014, but has since returned to the team.

Further questions were raised about his attitude when he held his racquet by the strings when facing match point in a Madrid Open match last year.

Tomic’s career has also been affected by off-court controversy.

In July 2015, he was charged with resisting arrest and trespassing by police in the United States after refusing to leave a hotel room.

His father John was sentenced to eight months in prison for assaulting his son’s training partner before the 2013 Madrid Open.

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