Racket brand Head has ended its sponsorship of tennis player Bernard Tomic after he "said he was bored at Wimbledon, and admitted that he had faked an injury" during his first-round loss, according to Dan Kilpatrick of the London EVENING STANDARD. Tomic was fined by the All England Club just under US$15,000 for “unsportsmanlike conduct” -- thought to be the "second-largest fine for a single infraction in the tournament's history -- after he called for the physio in a first-round defeat to German Mischa Zverev, before admitting it had been a tactic to 'shift the momentum' of the match." Head in a statement said, "His opinions in no way reflect our own attitude for tennis, our passion, professionalism and respect for the game" (London EVENING STANDARD, 7/7). In Australia, Jacquelin Magnay notes Head ending the sponsorship raised "issues of double standards and unfairness among tennis fans." Head not only "continued to sponsor Maria Sharapova throughout her drugs ban for meldonium, but extended her contract." The company "believed Sharapova had made a mistake and owned up to it, whereas Tomic has had issues with attitude in matches" (THE AUSTRALIAN, 7/7). The AP's Tim Dahlberg writes Head "seemingly couldn't wait to dump Tomic, quickly kicking him to the curb." Sharapova is a "superstar worth keeping, while Tomic is a once promising player with little upside left" (AP, 7/7).
