Even though he called Bernard Tomic's U.S. Open loss to Andy Roddick a disgrace, Australian Davis Cup captain Patrick Rafter said the teenager has shown a better attitude this week in Germany, where Australia will contest a World Group playoff.
"I threw out the big D word, disgraceful, to him yesterday," Rafter told *The Australian* after Tomic tamely went down to Roddick in the second round, 6-3, 6-4, 6-0. "That's just the way it was. He's got to learn. There's no use sugar-coating something, he has to do the work, and I'm sick and tired of tiptoeing around it, and I think everyone else is as well. He needs to realize that's what he needs to do, and he says he does."
However, Tomic has impressed Rafter this week.
"He has really put his hand up and done everything that has been asked of him on the court and is hitting the ball really well,” Rafter said.