Updated July 07, 2017 12:22:40

Bernard Tomic's Wimbledon week of woe has continued with the world number 59 being fined almost $20,000 after admitting he feigned injury in his first-round defeat.

Tomic was sanctioned for unsportsmanlike conduct by the Grand Slam Committee after confessing he pretended to have a back problem to slow down the progress of Germany's Mischa Zverev on Tuesday.

The 24-year-old was fined $US15,000 ($19,745).

The maximum fine for unsportsmanlike conduct is $US20,000 ($26,500) with the committee setting the punishment in conjunction with Wimbledon tournament referee Andrew Jarrett.

It is hard to cop, but it is Bernard Tomic's prerogative to play half-heartedly for a decade then retire to roll around in a pile of cash, writes Richard Hinds.

Tomic received $59,000 in prize money after limping out in three sets to a player he beat just last week in Eastbourne.

After the match the Queenslander also sensationally admitted he was bored and only played tennis for the money.

"To me, this is one of the biggest tournaments in the world that I have done really well in my career and, yeah, I just couldn't find anything," he said after his premature exit.

"You know I wasn't mentally and physically there, with my mental state to perform and I don't know why … but I felt a little bit bored out there to be completely honest with you."

His comments prompted a swift backlash from other tennis champions, with several labelling his comments embarrassing.

Photo: Bernard Tomic confessed he pretended to have a back problem during a Wimbledon match. (AP: Alastair Grant)

"It's disrespectful to the sport and disrespectful to the history of the sport. If you can't get motivated at Wimbledon it's time to find another job," tennis great Martina Navratilova said.

It rounds off a terrible week for Australia at the All England, with Nick Kyrgios retiring midway through his first round match with Pierre-Hughes Herbert of France.

Thanasi Kokinakkis, Jordan Thompson, Andrew Whittington and John Millman also exited, along with women's world number 21 Daria Gavrilova and Ashleigh Barty.

And Australia's last hope Arina Rodionova also made her exit overnight, losing 6-4, 7-6 (7/4) to Kazakh wildcard Zarina Diyas.

AAP

Topics: tennis, sport, human-interest, people, australia, southport-4215, qld

First posted July 06, 2017 22:13:29