Tomic courts controversy with lewd rant

Television cameras and microphones caught Tomic directing a number of sexually explicit comments toward someone in the crowd during the first set of his 6-4 6-3 4-6 7-6(0) defeat to world number 72 Dzumhur. 

The Australian, who was the 17th seed at the year’s final grand slam, later apologised for his comments but suggested he was forced into it by the heckling he had received. 

“He was just baiting me a bit,” Tomic, who could face a fine from the International Tennis Federation for his comments, told reporters. “I don’t want to get into it. I apologise for what I said to him. “He definitely baited me the whole set for me to say that. But I do apologise. If there were people around that heard, yeah, that’s all I can say. 

“I couldn’t care less. I apologise right now if anyone heard around, but I directed it specifically to him.” The incident was the latest in a long list of controversies to affect the world’s 19th ranked tennis player.