Tomic, 49, would not confirm whether he intends to appeal the Madrid court decision, but maintains his innocence on the headbutting charge. ''Look, I have to take consequences about court, about (Drouet's) story, and I will accept the decision of court and what I have to do, but I didn't do that. It was collision head to head - when he hit me I just grabbed him and it was collision head to head.

''I know that I didn't do that, and I am just now regretting why I didn't punch him, when I see this campaign against Bernard, against me, I'm really regretting why I didn't punch him now, because I think that he deserved that. I know that I would be in more trouble in the future, but when I see how he has been lying …

''In this statement to the newspaper he is so pathetic and sick. He said 'I didn't have work, I couldn't resign', but if he didn't like this situation, environment, which was very good, why he didn't he (leave)? You can find jobs everywhere if he wants to work.''

While the reports of Tomic's domineering, volatile ways have been backed by several key members of the Gold Coast tennis community, the self-taught coach said he had received wide support from friends and colleagues. He introduced Fairfax Media to local emergency and musculoskeletal doctor Martin Clark, who has been involved as a trainer with team Tomic on and off for a decade, including two years on the road. Clark believes John Tomic has been unfairly maligned, admitting he had seen plenty of ''tough love'', and a blunt, uncompromising approach, but no physical abuse.

Tomic did admit there was truth to ''a couple'' of Drouet's statements, including the eight-hour stopover in which the Frenchman and trainer Salvador Sosa - who has since described the Queenslander as a ''barbarian'' - were left to sleep in chairs at a New York airport ''because physically we couldn't change the flight''. But he denied Drouet's money-related gripes, and claimed he paid €750 ($1430) of the hitting partner/''nutrition guy's'' €2000 weekly salary in cash.