The 19-year-old P-plater had allegedly been revving the engine of his high-performance BMW at pedestrians in Broadbeach. Tomic has an exemption to his licence allowing him to use the car to drive to training and other tennis-related activities.

After being given one ticket Tomic was ordered to drive straight home but was stopped and given a second ticket when he allegedly disobeyed the directive. He was followed home by a police vehicle with lights flashing and parked his car in the driveway behind locked security gates.

Tomic, who spoke briefly to reporters, said he had done nothing wrong and was being persecuted by the police.

''They've given me three tickets and one officer feels like he wants to get me and it's not a good feeling,'' he said. ''It's all happened on Australia Day when I am trying to have fun with my mates.''

Tomic told Channel Seven: ''I don't know what is happening - something is really wrong. I don't know what I'm doing, it's like I've killed somebody.

nspector Glenn Allan said the tickets related to the conditions of Tomic's licence but it was too early to say whether police had made a mistake in issuing the infringement notices.

The incident unfolded as Rafter was speaking favourably about the teenager at the announcement of the Davis Cup team in Melbourne. ''We had a little issue over there in Sydney [during a Davis Cup tie],'' the Davis Cup captain said. ''He probably wasn't at that maturity level back then with what I had to tell him. But he's certainly done something [to improve that].''

Tomic was knocked out of the Australian Open this week in the fourth round by Roger Federer.

Inspector Allan said the Tomic family was considering whether to lay a complaint against police.

He said the tennis star had been ''understanding and reasonable''.

Tomic's lawyer, Lex Bell, declined to discuss Tomic's claim he was being persecuted. ''He feels he is guiltless in the whole matter. I think you would have to work out how you would feel if you were in Bernard's situation."

With AAP

-The Age