Bernard Tomic has hit out against Lleyton Hewitt and accused Tennis Australia of corruption following his whirlwind departure from the I’m A Celebrity jungle.
During an appearance on Wednesday night’s edition of The Project, Bernard responded to the iconic player, who has been a ranked number one, saying it was “highly doubtful” that Bernard will play for his country again and that he “was digging a bigger hole for himself”.
“I don’t care what Lleyton said, I never lost to him,” the 25-year-old said.
“I think there is a reason why I played Davis Cup at the youngest age for Australia in history. There’s a reason why my record stands that good”.
The controversial tennis star also said he’s determined to play for Australia again and prove his doubters wrong — but not before the “whole situation with Tennis Australia” is sorted out.
“I’m not happy with that whole situation with Tennis Australia,” the sportsman told the panel. “Until that clears and a few of the problems come out… We’ve seen it with the FIFA Federation, how they were corrupt. And I know it’s in there. I’m yet to address all the issues there. Hopefully in the coming future I can speak about it.”
Lleyton Hewitt and Bernard Tomic at the 2015 US Open.
He added: “So hopefully they can address for my sake, for their sake and I would love nothing but coming back to playing Davis Cup but that stuff needs to be addressed in the next couple of years.”
Waleed Aly — co-host of the Channel 10 panel show — asked the athlete to clarify his stunning position, saying: “So just make sure that I have got this right: You want to play tennis for Australia in the Davis Cup but Tennis Australia is a corrupt organisation.”
“Yes. I stand by that call,” a defiant Bernard replied. “Only those people know what I’m talking about. It’s up to them to only fix and I hope I can do it because we have such a great nation in Australia of playing tennis throughout the last decade we have a few wrong people in that organisation.”
In the interview, the sportsman also touched on his mental health and explained that his depression only became apparent after entering the jungle.
“I only became depressed when I got in,” he said, later adding: “Only then when I got into the jungle I realised that maybe the jungle will make all this whole last year disappear and I can just enjoy it with these people here, but it just gave me a bit of depression and maybe said ‘you know what I started only a couple of months back doing the right things; I’m playing well, I’ve got to get back in there, this is not for me right now’.”
WATCH: Bernard quit the competition after just three nights. Post continues…
He denied being mentally unfit to enter the competition.
“No, no, no I was not too in a mentally [fragile] state to do this, I mean I got to the top 16/17 of the world’s best tennis players in one of the biggest sports in the world and you can’t do that if you’re not mentally strong,” he said.
“I think they’re (the viewers) all confused and I think no one’s really come off this show within the first couple of days. Don’t get me wrong one day I’m going to come back and finish this beautiful show because it was an amazing experience,” he added.
On Monday night’s episode of I’m A Celeb, the nation watched as Bernard threatened to walk out of the show after just 48 hours.
He was left feeling worse for wear following a tucker trial, which saw him suspended up in the air above a canyon.
“I am really sick. I am about to vomit, I am out, I am so sick,” Bernard screamed as he was dangling in the air.
“I’ve never felt so ill before,” he added, before shouting the iconic safety line which terminates challenges: “I’m a celebrity… get me out of here!”
The sportsman threatened to leave just two days into the competition.
Speaking with the Daily Telegraph’s Jonathon Moran following his dramatic exit from the show, the tennis champion said he needs to get back to what he does best.
“I’ve got to get back to where I belong,” he said in the post-jungle interview. “It might take me six months but every day is going to be a step closer and every day I spend out there (in the jungle) is a day I lose.”
Watch this space!
If you’re seeking support and information about depression, you can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14.
