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Father Charged in Assault on Son’s Training Partner Father Charged in Assault on Son’s Training Partner
(35 minutes later)
 
Volatile parents have long posed a problem for tennis. Jim Pierce, Damir Dokic and Arsalan Rezai are among those who have received extended bans for abusive behavior.Volatile parents have long posed a problem for tennis. Jim Pierce, Damir Dokic and Arsalan Rezai are among those who have received extended bans for abusive behavior.
  It remains unknown if John Tomic will end up on that ignominious list. But Tomic, the father and coach of one of the game’s rising stars, the Australian Bernard Tomic of Australia, has been charged with assaulting his son’s hitting partner, Thomas Drouet, outside a Madrid hotel last week.
It remains unknown if John Tomic will end up on that ignominious list. But Tomic, the father and coach of one of the game’s rising stars, the Australian Bernard Tomic, has been charged with assaulting his son’s hitting partner, Thomas Drouet, last week outside a Madrid hotel.
 
Drouet, a 29-year-old from Monaco, appeared at a court hearing in Madrid on Monday with his nose heavily bandaged and his neck in a brace. Earlier, Drouet told The Herald Sun of Australia that John Tomic had head-butted him after an argument over his payment escalated.Drouet, a 29-year-old from Monaco, appeared at a court hearing in Madrid on Monday with his nose heavily bandaged and his neck in a brace. Earlier, Drouet told The Herald Sun of Australia that John Tomic had head-butted him after an argument over his payment escalated.
 
In January, in an interview with the French newspaper L’Equipe, Drouet said of John Tomic: ‘‘He gets upset easily. He speaks loudly, but it dies down just as quickly. The shell is hard, but he is truly good on the inside.’’In January, in an interview with the French newspaper L’Equipe, Drouet said of John Tomic: ‘‘He gets upset easily. He speaks loudly, but it dies down just as quickly. The shell is hard, but he is truly good on the inside.’’
  But in an interview published Tuesday in L’Equipe, Drouet said of John Tomic: ‘‘I want to make it understood that this man is violent and dangerous. Unpredictable, too.’’
In an interview published Tuesday in L’Equipe, however, Drouet said of John Tomic: ‘‘I want to make it understood that this man is violent and dangerous. Unpredictable, too.’’ Drouet said in the interview that he had also seen John Tomic punch Bernard Tomic, 20, in the head during a training session in Monaco on April 30.
  ‘‘Bernard was bleeding around the mouth, the teeth, there was blood on the court,’’ Drouet told L’Equipe. ‘‘All that because Bernard had told him that he had had enough of hearing his criticisms. I didn’t intervene as I have read I did other places. Afterward, John took Bernard’s three rackets and destroyed them. Bam. Bam. Bam. A half hour later, he was joking with Bernard.’’
Drouet said in the interview that he had also seen John Tomic punch Bernard Tomic in the head during a training session in Monaco on April 30.
 
‘‘Bernard was bleeding around the mouth; the teeth, there was blood on the court,’’ Drouet told L’Equipe. ‘‘All that because Bernard had told him that he had had enough of hearing his criticisms. I didn’t intervene as I have read I did other places. Afterward, John took Bernard’s three rackets and destroyed them. Bam. Bam. Bam. A half hour later, he was joking with Bernard.’’
 
Drouet said he was coming forward to help Bernard Tomic and in the hope that the A.T.P. and International Tennis Federation would ban John Tomic from the circuit.Drouet said he was coming forward to help Bernard Tomic and in the hope that the A.T.P. and International Tennis Federation would ban John Tomic from the circuit.
  For now, officials from the A.T.P. tour have revoked John Tomic’s accreditation for the Madrid tournament, where Bernard Tomic, a former Wimbledon quarterfinalist who is currently ranked 53rd, lost in the opening round to Radek Stepanek on Sunday.
John Tomic could not be reached to respond to Drouet’s claims that he had attacked Bernard Tomic in Monaco. Phone messages left with John Tomic’s lawyer, Carmen Dieguez, were not immediately returned.John Tomic could not be reached to respond to Drouet’s claims that he had attacked Bernard Tomic in Monaco. Phone messages left with John Tomic’s lawyer, Carmen Dieguez, were not immediately returned.
  But at the hearing Monday in Madrid, where John Tomic also appeared, Dieguez said that her client disputed the charges in the altercation with Drouet, and she later told reporters that Tomic had acted in self-defense. Another court hearing was set for next Tuesday.
But at the hearing Monday in Madrid, where John Tomic also appeared, Dieguez said that her client disputed the charges, and she later told reporters that Tomic had acted in self-defense. Another court hearing was set for next Tuesday. If John Tomic is found guilty of assault, it could result in a prison term and an extended ban from the tennis tour. That could include the women’s tour. John Tomic’s daughter Sara, 15, is a promising junior player.
 
For now, officials from the men’s tour, the Association of Tennis Professionals, have revoked John Tomic’s accreditation for the Madrid tournament, where Bernard Tomic, a former Wimbledon quarterfinalist, lost in the opening round Sunday to Radek Stepanek.
 
If John Tomic is found guilty of assault, it could result in a prison term and an extended ban from the tennis tour. That could include the women’s tour: John Tomic’s daughter Sara, 15, is a promising junior player.
 
‘‘A bit inappropriate to make a comment until all the facts are known and this is played out,’’ said Darren Cahill, an Australian coach and commentator, who knows the Tomic family well. ‘‘If the early reports are accurate, we can only hope the A.T.P. takes an extremely tough position against anything of this nature.’’‘‘A bit inappropriate to make a comment until all the facts are known and this is played out,’’ said Darren Cahill, an Australian coach and commentator, who knows the Tomic family well. ‘‘If the early reports are accurate, we can only hope the A.T.P. takes an extremely tough position against anything of this nature.’’
  A.T.P. officials in Europe said in a statement Monday that the organization was still ‘gathering information. Several prominent figures in Australian tennis called for Bernard Tomic to sever coaching ties with his father. 
A.T.P. officials in Europe said in a statement Monday that the organization was still ‘‘gathering information.’’ Several prominent figures in Australian tennis called for Bernard Tomic to sever coaching ties with his father.  Drouet, who began working for the Tomics late last year, told L’Equipe that he had been repeatedly belittled and humiliated by John Tomic and that on Saturday in Monaco, Tomic had responded aggressively when Drouet had refused to buy milk for him before they left for the airport. Drouet said that John Tomic told him he was fired and had later canceled Drouet’s flight to Madrid at the airport before Bernard Tomic intervened.
 
Drouet, who began working for the Tomics late last year, told L’Equipe he had been repeatedly belittled and humiliated by John Tomic and that on Saturday in Monaco, Tomic had responded aggressively when Drouet had refused to buy milk for him before they left for the airport. Drouet said that John Tomic told him he was fired and had later canceled Drouet’s flight to Madrid at the airport before Bernard Tomic intervened.
 
Drouet said in the interview that John Tomic had continued to verbally harass him on the flight and that once they arrived at the hotel in Madrid, John Tomic had asked to speak with him. Drouet said he had complied and that Tomic later spit in his face before delivering the head butt that, according to Drouet, left him unconscious.Drouet said in the interview that John Tomic had continued to verbally harass him on the flight and that once they arrived at the hotel in Madrid, John Tomic had asked to speak with him. Drouet said he had complied and that Tomic later spit in his face before delivering the head butt that, according to Drouet, left him unconscious.
 
Drouet said Bernard Tomic had later come to see him at the hospital. ‘‘He told me: ‘I’m sorry. He went too far, It’s over. I don’t want him to come to tournaments anymore,’’’ Drouet told L’Equipe.Drouet said Bernard Tomic had later come to see him at the hospital. ‘‘He told me: ‘I’m sorry. He went too far, It’s over. I don’t want him to come to tournaments anymore,’’’ Drouet told L’Equipe.
 
Drouet added: ‘‘Bernard has been a victim of his father forever. Many times, I’ve heard Bernard tell John he didn’t want him on the court. After that, it’s difficult for Bernard because he’s only known this way of working. He’s a hostage and he’s developed Stockholm syndrome.’’Drouet added: ‘‘Bernard has been a victim of his father forever. Many times, I’ve heard Bernard tell John he didn’t want him on the court. After that, it’s difficult for Bernard because he’s only known this way of working. He’s a hostage and he’s developed Stockholm syndrome.’’
  Bernard Tomic could not immediately be reached for comment. He was one of the most successful junior players in history, winning the Australian Open juniors at age 15. But the Tomics — both father and son — have repeatedly generated friction with Australian tennis officials.
Bernard Tomic could not immediately  be reached for comment. John Tomic left the former Yugoslavia during the war there and eventually emigrated to Australia when Bernard was 3. ‘‘He certainly had Bernard acting very professionally in a lot of senses in terms of hours and training volumes, et cetera, from a young age,’’ Wally Masur, a former leading player, said in an interview on Australian radio. ‘‘But at some stage, parents as coaches, it doesn’t really work. There’s a long list.’’
 
Bernard Tomic became one of the most successful junior players in history, winning the Australian Open juniors at age 15. But the Tomics — both father and son — have repeatedly generated friction with Australian tennis officials.
 
‘‘He certainly had Bernard acting very professionally in a lot of senses in terms of hours and training volumes, et cetera, from a young age,’’ the Australian Wally Masur, a former leading player, said in an interview on Australian radio. ‘‘But at some stage, parents as coaches, it doesn’t really work. There’s a long list.’’
 
Jim Pierce, the father and coach of the former French Open champion Mary Pierce, was banned from the W.T.A. tour in 1993 after a series of incidents, including a fistfight with Dutch spectators. After screaming at his daughter during one of her matches at the 1993 French Open, he was removed from the stands and banned from the grounds.Jim Pierce, the father and coach of the former French Open champion Mary Pierce, was banned from the W.T.A. tour in 1993 after a series of incidents, including a fistfight with Dutch spectators. After screaming at his daughter during one of her matches at the 1993 French Open, he was removed from the stands and banned from the grounds.
  It was later revealed that Pierce was actually Bobby Glenn Pearce, who had served several years in an American prison for attempted robbery.
It was later revealed that Pierce was actually Bobby Glenn Pearce, who had served several years in a U.S. prison for attempted robbery.
 
Damir Dokic, father and coach of the Australian player Jelena Dokic, was banned indefinitely from W.T.A. tour events for misbehavior and later served a jail sentence of nearly a year after threatening to blow up the Australian Embassy in Belgrade.Damir Dokic, father and coach of the Australian player Jelena Dokic, was banned indefinitely from W.T.A. tour events for misbehavior and later served a jail sentence of nearly a year after threatening to blow up the Australian Embassy in Belgrade.
 
Arsalan Rezai, the father and coach of the French player Aravane Rezai, was banned indefinitely from the women’s tour in 2011.Arsalan Rezai, the father and coach of the French player Aravane Rezai, was banned indefinitely from the women’s tour in 2011.
 
Nick Bollettieri, the veteran American coach who worked with Pierce after her estrangement from her father, said that such extreme cases aside, there were multiple instances of effective coaching relationships between parents and children in tennis.Nick Bollettieri, the veteran American coach who worked with Pierce after her estrangement from her father, said that such extreme cases aside, there were multiple instances of effective coaching relationships between parents and children in tennis.
  He pointed to players like Jimmy Connors, Venus and Serena Williams, Chris Evert and Michael Chang. All were champions who have been coached by parents or worked closely with them.
He pointed to players like Jimmy Connors, Venus and Serena Williams, Chris Evert and Michael Chang: all champions who have been coached by parents or worked closely with them.
 
‘‘Grandma Connors and Mama Connors worked out tremendously,’’ he said. ‘‘The Williamses have been a very happy relationship, and I also go back to Chris Evert’s daddy, Jimmy. He was terrific. And you look at the Changs — they had a beautiful relationship. But in more cases than not, even if it does work, it takes away from the parents giving the other children in the family time and love and devotion as well. Most people don’t bring that out, and I think it’s very important.’’‘‘Grandma Connors and Mama Connors worked out tremendously,’’ he said. ‘‘The Williamses have been a very happy relationship, and I also go back to Chris Evert’s daddy, Jimmy. He was terrific. And you look at the Changs — they had a beautiful relationship. But in more cases than not, even if it does work, it takes away from the parents giving the other children in the family time and love and devotion as well. Most people don’t bring that out, and I think it’s very important.’’
 
Bollettieri said another issue was proximity.Bollettieri said another issue was proximity.
 
‘‘It happens probably more in tennis because it’s one-on-one where the parents can get close,’’ he said. ‘‘Can you imagine going to Nick Saban down at the University of Alabama and parents watching the practice and voicing their opinion? What? Are you kidding me? In tennis, the parent is within feet of the player. Soccer, baseball, football, you’re in the stands.’’‘‘It happens probably more in tennis because it’s one-on-one where the parents can get close,’’ he said. ‘‘Can you imagine going to Nick Saban down at the University of Alabama and parents watching the practice and voicing their opinion? What? Are you kidding me? In tennis, the parent is within feet of the player. Soccer, baseball, football, you’re in the stands.’’