Australian Tennis legend John Newcombe has defended Pat Rafter following an attack from Bernard Tomic, admitting the relationship between Tomic's father and Tennis Australia was irreparable.
The seven-time grand slam winner, who is at Wimbledon as part of Channel Seven's broadcast of the tournament, has a good relationship with Bernard Tomic.
But Newcombe says the relationship between Tennis Australia and Bernard's father, John Tomic, is beyond repair.
"The fact is, I don't think it's possible to fix the situation between John Tomic and Tennis Australia," Newcombe told Fairfax Media.
"It's as simple as that. There's a big divide between John Tomic and Tennis Australia which is behind the situation."
Tomic took aim at Rafter, as well as several Tennis Australia officials for a perceived lack of support, but Newcombe insists Rafter isn't putting on a facade.
It's understood Tomic's father's war with TA was behind his extraordinary attack.
The 71-year-old Newcombe leapt to the defence of Rafter, who Tomic described as a "good actor" and a "mask" in a fiery press conference at the All England Club on Friday.
"Number one, I think Bernie has done a great job in Davis Cup," Newcombe said.
"His record speaks for itself. That's good to see. Number two, I've known Pat for 22 years. You're not going to meet a straighter guy. Pat Rafter doesn't talk for anyone. Whatever Pat says is going to be a decision he's made, and he will say or do as he pleases. He's not anybody's mask and he's certainly not an actor."
Tomic's rant came after his father criticised Tennis Australia for a lack of financial support to his daughter, Sara.
The 22-year-old Tomic vented almost uninterrupted for five minutes, firing shots at TA chief executive Craig Tiley and president Stephen Healy.
"I think Steve Healy is doing a great job as president of Tennis Australia," Newcombe said.
"I supported him to get that role. I think that Steve is there for all the right reasons, not the wrong reasons. He's certainly not your bureaucratic official.
"I think that Craig Tiley has done a terrific job. The programs are the best they've been. We were right out of control there for a while. The programs are now good as evidence now with all the young players coming through. That's my feelings."
Despite the war with Tennis Australia, Tomic had vowed to play Davis Cup later this month out of respect for Lleyton Hewitt and the Australian public, but TA following a meeting with Tomic have axed from the squad.
He also revealed Australia's No.1 men's player Nick Kyrgios had volunteered to sit out the Davis Cup quarter-final against Kazakhstan if Tomic wasn't going to play.
Tennis Australia sent out a tweet after Tomic's rant, saying: "Bernard #Tomic post-match allegations about TA were misinformed, untrue & disappointing".
