By IANS,
Brisbane : Controversial Australian teenager Bernard Tomic has been handed a holiday gift by officials at the new Brisbane International event.
The tournament has assured the Australian Open junior champion of a place in the main draw of the joint ATP-WTA affair starting next weekend.
The opportunity comes with the 16-year-old under probe by the International Tennis Federation (ITF) for quitting a minor match in protest this month over foot faults.
But Tomic gets the benefit of the doubt from sympathetic Aussie organisers in Queensland.
“He shows a lot of promise and it will be fantastic for him to debut on the ATP tour in his home state at his home town tournament,” said director Steve Ayles.
Should the ITF come down on Tomic, he could miss the Australian Open starting Jan 19. Under the Code of Conduct, the ITF has the power to ban Tomic from the sport. The youngster has been fined $1,000.
Tomic’s father, who urged his son on at the match in question, apologized earlier for his role, with a decision not due until into the New Year.