As Davis Cup Captain, Hewitt has taken Tomic under his wing over the past two years and said he was “frustrated” at the 24-year-old’s withdrawal from this week’s tie against the Czech Republic. 

“I guess for me this tie has been really frustrating because I feel like I have put a lot of time and effort into Bernie the last year and a half, two years since I’ve been in this role,” Hewitt told Triple M Melbourne’s Hot Breakfast. “Just tried to work on certain areas of his game.

“His father has a massive influence on him. That’s probably the tough thing for me because I don’t feel like while his father is around and in the picture and involved in his tennis so heavily that he’s going to have a chance to fulfill his potential. That’s probably frustrating for me when I see it first hand.

“I have told him and I guess that’s where it come down to. But there’s a lot of stuff that those guys have been through. His father is a very tough person as well on the tour and off the tour and I think the demands of that on Bernie weigh him down in some ways.”

Tomic is currently ranked No. 32 and holds a 17-4 record in Davis Cup competition.

He has been replaced by world No. 65 Jordan Thompson who will make his Davis Cup debut.