Tomic's father's assault trial postponed

MADRID (AFP) –

Thomas Drouet of Monaco, training partner of Australian tennis player Bernard Tomic, leaves a court house bandaged and wearing a neck brace in Madrid on May 6, 2013. A Spanish court on Monday postponed to October the trial of John Tomic, Bernard’s father, for allegedly assaulting his son’s training partner.

A Spanish court on Monday postponed to October the trial of John Tomic, father of Australian tennis player Bernard Tomic, for allegedly assaulting his son’s training partner.

The Madrid court said the trial scheduled for Tuesday was postponed because the plaintiff, Frenchman Thomas Drouet, could not travel to Spain to attend.

Drouet was left with a broken nose on May 4 after a brawl outside a hotel where players in the Madrid Masters were playing.

John Tomic denies assault and says he struck in self-defence, his lawyer Carmen Dieguez said.

“Since the plaintiff has not dropped the proceedings, the hearing is postponed for reasons of court scheduling until October,” the court said in a statement on Monday.

A court source said Tomic was free to leave Spain and was expected to return to attend the trial, whose precise date is yet to be decided.

If found guilty he could be sentenced to between three months and three years in prison.

Bernard Tomic, the world number 53, has made a poor start to this year’s European clay court season and lost in straight sets to Czech veteran Radek Stepanek in the first round of the Madrid Masters.

He pulled out of the Rome Masters taking place this week.