Tomic apologises after practice court row

Published 01/11/2016, 1:27 AM EST

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via Reuters

MELBOURNE (Reuters) – Australia’s top-ranked tennis player Bernard Tomic has apologised after a row with hotel staff over the use of courts near his Gold Coast residence in the leadup to the Australian Open, local media reported.

Tomic, who made the semi-finals of the Brisbane International last week, clashed with staff at the RACV Royal Pines resort after a dispute with members over access to the courts, the Gold Coast Bulletin said.

“I’ve been so focused on preparing for all my matches, I know there’s no excuse for my behaviour,” the paper quoted the world number 18 as saying.

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“I didn’t mean to cause any trouble and I apologise to the club members.

“There seems to have been a bit of a misunderstanding and my practice was interrupted and I got a bit frustrated.”

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The Royal Pines resort was unable to provide immediate comment.

Long touted a future top-10 player, 23-year-old Tomic has developed a long and varied rap sheet of controversies on and off the court during his six years on tour.

He was cut from Australia’s Davis Cup team for a second time last year after an extraordinary public rant against his country’s tennis association at Wimbledon.

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Tomic was also arrested and charged by Miami police for trespassing last year after holding a party in his room at a local hotel, though the charges were later dropped.

(Reporting by Ian Ransom in Melbourne; Editing by Mark Lamport-Stokes)

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