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Tennis Australia has reacted to Bernard Tomic's extraordinary accusations by dumping the 22-year-old from this month's Davis Cup quarter-final against Kazakhstan in Darwin.
Tomic, who on Friday took aim at Pat Rafter and Tennis Australia officials for showing him a lack of respect, was called into a meeting with Tennis Australia chief executive Craig Tiley and president Stephen Healy at Wimbledon on Saturday night.
It was then, in a 20-minute meeting at the All England Club restaurant, that Tomic was informed of his punishment for what Tennis Australia described as "disparaging and disrespectful comments".
"His behaviour was unacceptable," Healy said.
"Playing for our country is an absolute privilege and, with that privilege, comes an obligation to behave appropriately. He didn't. The allegations are misinformed and untrue and he publicly derided some outstanding people. We are trying to build a strong culture underpinned by a philosophy of opportunity, not entitlement. This behaviour is just not on.
"Hopefully he will learn from this. Our entire tennis community is committed to working hard to help all our players, including Bernard, be the best tennis players, and the best people, they can be."
A war between Tennis Australia and the Tomics has been simmering for some time after Bernard's father, John, criticised the organisation for a lack of funding for his daughter, Sara.
Tomic also complained about a lack of financial support from Tennis Australia, but his latest antics have cost him any chance of future funding.
"He's enjoyed great support from the organisation from the age of 11-12," Tiley said.
"The organisation, through its support and funding, really helped him get to where he is today. He himself has got himself there but we, as an organisation, have been a really key partner in all of that. Our developmental pathway goes to a certain point. He's now making a lot of money. He's enjoying benefits of contracts and he's an athlete that can support himself. We go back to other athletes and give them opportunities.
"It's a simple decision off the back of the comments Bernie made last night ... It will really be up to Bernard. If he chooses one path that is destructive, that'll be unfortunate and it's not going to benefit him. If he chooses another path of taking it on the chin and accept what he's done is in error and not acceptable, we can move on."
In the fiery press conference, Tomic revealed Australia's No.1 men's player Nick Kyrgios had volunteered to sit out the tie if Tomic didn't play.
However, Tennis Australia officials are confident the 20-year-old, who takes on Richard Gasquet in the fourth round on Monday, will feature in the Davis Cup match.
"Wally [Masur] has been talking to all the players and we're expecting Nick to be available to play," Healy said.
One of the issues at the core of Tomic's frustrations was the fact Tennis Australia ordered him to pay for his own balls and court hire at Pat Rafter Arena leading into the Brisbane International this year.
Healy admitted Tomic was forced to pay but only because the organisation wasn't happy with the behaviour of the much-maligned star.
"That is true, and it's standard for all players that behave in the way they behaved that forced that decision to be made," Healy said about the decision to force Tomic to pay.
"It was a combination of things, and the specifics of it is the communication to Pat [Rafter], at the time our Davis Cup captain. We support fully the decisions that are made on those small granular things.
"That's designed to send a message as well. Sure, it's going to be not agreeable ... it does sound a bit harsh when you only look at one side of it. We can go through point by point on all the accusations that were made and have a response to it. Many of them were very inaccurate and the rest of them were just untrue."
Tomic made several potentially defamatory accusations during his Wimbledon outburst, but Tennis Australia will not be seeking to take legal action against him.
"I don't know any organisation that gives as much as we do and then allows someone to be critical," Healy said.
"We've encouraged Bernard when he's got a problem to come and talk to us privately and we'll answer any of the questions he's got. The accusations he's made are ill-informed and untrue.
"We're not thinking legal action. The sanction of not selecting Bernard in this tie is sufficient. He's a very keen Davis Cup player, a great Davis Cup player, he's very disappointed not to play. I think that's sufficient for the time being."
