Bernard Tomic involved in tennis mockery featuring American billionaire

Kieran Francis

Bernard Tomic involved in tennis mockery featuring American billionaire  image

Australian tennis players Bernard Tomic and Omar Jasika have been involved in a controversial Challenger Tour doubles match against billionaire hedge fund manager Bill Ackman.

The American 59-year-old was handed a wildcard to play in the doubles alongside former world no.8 Jack Sock at the Hall of Fame Open in Newport.

With Ackman having never played a professional tennis match before, Tomic and Jasika cruised to victory 6-1 7-5 but appeared to be not applying their full effort, particularly in the second set.

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However, the match drew strong criticism from several tennis voices, including Andy Roddick, who claimed on his podcast Served that it was "the biggest joke I have ever watched in professional tennis."

Most of the controversy has stemmed out of the fact Ackman received a wildcard to play in the event, which denied a professional player an opportunity to continue building their career.

Roddick said: "It [the game] was a disaster.... This was beneath the Hall of Fame, in my opinion. It's nothing personal against Bill Ackman, he can do what he wants. If his dream was to do it and someone's gonna let him do it. I mean, it's not his fault, I don't blame him, right. Someone has to say yes to this.... It was rough."

U.S. Open press officer Randy Walker stated on X: "I just watched the absolute worst professional tennis match I have ever seen...."

Tomic and Jasika will continue in the men's doubles tournament at the Hall of Fame on Friday (AEST) against Blake Bayldon and Trey Hilderbrand.

Kieran Francis

Kieran Francis is a senior editor at The Sporting News based in Melbourne, Australia. He started at Sportal.com.au before being a part of the transition to Sporting News in 2015. Just prior to the 2018 World Cup, he was appointed chief editor of Goal.com in Australia. He has now returned to The Sporting News where his passions lay in football, AFL, poker and cricket - when he is not on holiday.