Hewitt returns serve after stunning Tomic swipe

Lleyton Hewitt has hit back at Bernard Tomic following the tennis bad boy’s stunning swipe at the Aussie sporting legend.

Davis Cup captain Hewitt dismissed claims of a damaging rift in Australian tennis ranks following an astonishing broadside from self-exiled star Tomic.

In a bitter aftermath to his first-round Australian Open exit, Tomic claimed he and others including Nick Kyrgios and Thanasi Kokkinakis no longer wanted to play Davis Cup under Hewitt.

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He also accused the former world No.1 of favouring younger talent.

“No one likes him any more … go away,” Tomic said of Hewitt.

“We have a lot of issues that not a lot of players are happy about. We all know who those players are: myself, Kokkinakis, Kyrgios.”

Kokkinakis, who defeated Roger Federer in an injury-ravaged 2018, was overlooked for a wildcard at the 2019 tournament in favour of Alexei Popyrin, Marc Polmans and Alex Bolt.

Tomic alleged that Hewitt’s promotion of Open debutant Polmans, the world No.169, and the lower-ranked Bolt, was improper.

“He used to hate Tennis Australia, it’s weird. Now he loves them. What’s happened here?” he said.

“All these guys that got wildcards are under a system … Polmans, Bolty, Jordan Thompson.

“They’re all under Lleyton’s wing under the management company. It’s all conflict of interest.

“And then he’s in Davis Cup and he’s doing the wrong thing and everyone’s leaving.”

Hewitt, though, dismissed Tomic’s outburst and vowed to stay on as captain ahead of Australia’s qualifying tie next month against Bosnia and Herzegovina, despite Tomic saying the skipper should be “moved on”.

“I actually had a bit of a laugh. It’s Bernie being Bernie and losing and going on and complaining about a few things,” Hewitt told the Nine Network.

“I laugh it off and go forward. I am working with a few guys and I am excited.

“The disappointing thing is that the Aussie men and women had a great day and it was overshadowed by Bernard Tomic.”

Aussie tennis legends Todd Woodbridge and Roger Rasheed both blasted Tomic over his rant about Hewitt.

Tomic hasn’t played Davis Cup since 2016, while Kyrgios opted out of Australia’s World Group playoff last September in Austria to save himself for Laver Cup.

“I don’t think that there is a rift,” Hewitt said.

“There is always communication going on with captain, coach and players and leading into the next tie that will all happen but those boys are going on with big matches today.

“The communication, we’ve spoken before the Australian Open and we will continue to speak after the Australian Open leading into the next Davis Cup tie and then we work out next week our best team moving forward into the Adelaide tie.

“For me, I love being a part and helping the Australian players as much as possible.”