Evans: 'Tomic supporters were complete idiots'

Surprise package Dan Evans marched into the fourth round by ousting Tomic 7-5, 7-6 (7-2), 7-6 (7-3) in the 27th seed's homeland. Evans had to contend with unruly behaviour from supporters of Tomic during third round of the Australian Open.

Published : Jan 20, 2017 22:57 IST

Dan Evans was unimpressed with the conduct of certain members of Tomic's entourage.
Dan Evans was unimpressed with the conduct of certain members of Tomic's entourage.
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Dan Evans was unimpressed with the conduct of certain members of Tomic's entourage.

Dan Evans blasted the "complete idiots" in Bernard Tomic's box for its antics during his shock Australian Open win and said the horrific incident in Melbourne earlier on Friday should put things into perspective.

Surprise package Evans marched into the fourth round by ousting Tomic 7-5, 7-6 (7-2), 7-6 (7-3) in the 27th seed's homeland. The Englishman had to contend with unruly behaviour from supporters of Tomic, whose attempts to unsettle him did not go to plan.

Evans was unimpressed with the conduct of certain members of Tomic's entourage, particularly one who encouraged the Australian to give him "hell" just hours after four people were killed and at least 20 injured when a man drove his car through a crowd of pedestrians in Melbourne.

The world number 51 from Birmingham said: "He has a friend in the box. He doesn't know how to act on a tennis court, whoever the other guy is.

"Just screaming at me when I'm getting my towel. And the umpire sees it as well and doesn't say anything. I mean, I wish some of the people in my box would do that. The English people are too well-mannered.

"The guy's just screaming at me 'Give him hell, Bernie'. There's nothing on that tennis court which could be hell, is there? What happened in Melbourne is hell. It's an embarrassment.

"That's why it's just a bit...I think that's why Bernie said, 'Well done', and stuff, because he was a bit embarrassed by how those guys acted." Evans' win came five years after Tomic's father, John, said the Brit was not good enough to practice with his son.

But asked if those comments made beating the Germany-born world number 27 any sweeter, Evans said: "No. He came to the changing room after and said well done. "It was nice of him. I didn't have a problem with him at all, to be honest. It was his opinion.

"I just don't think they conducted themselves that well. John was fine, but the rest of his team acted like complete idiots in the box, screaming at me when I was getting my towel. That's why I was upset on the match court."

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