Tennis - 20 year old Australian Bernard Tomic, in the midst of a personal crisis after his father was charged with assaulting his practice partner, has reportedly pulled out of the Rome Masters event next week due to personal reasons.

Tomic's father John has been accused of hitting his practice partner Thomas Drouett during an argument in Madrid last week. Drouett had a nose injury and his neck was also placed in a cast after that. John Tomic has also been suspended from ATP events until investigations are complete.

Bernard, one of the rising young stars in the game, lost in the first round of Madrid to Radek Stepanek. Droueet also said that John Tomic had hit Bernard during a practice session last week which left the 20 year old bleeding.

Several tennis experts have called for Bernard to severe coaching ties with his father and find a new coach