The pair are considered the Australian Olympic Committee’s two likely picks for the Games, with Kyrgios ranked one place higher than his compatriot at 21 in the world.

They have been warned their on and off court conduct must improve if they are to be selected, with Australia’s Chef de Mission Kitty Chiller making the claim in response to ill-advised comments and behaviour from Tomic during the Madrid Open tournament.

Tomic was accused of tanking - failing to try his best – during his straight sets defeat to Italy’s Fabio Fognini, by turned his racket upside-down when facing a match point against his rival, prior to exiting the competition 6-2, 6-4.

When asked about his actions following the match, Tomic told the Australian newspaper Gold Coast Bulletin: “Would you care if you were 23 and worth over $10 million?”

Tomic was previously accused of “tanking” - failing to try his best - in a defeat to American Andy Roddick at the 2012 US Open.

The incident earned him the nickname “Tomic The Tank Engine” in Australia.

Healy expressed his frustration with the 23-year-old, telling Australia’s The Age newspaper that “we want to help him, but he's got to help himself.”

"I think it's a disrespect for the game and his opponent, and that's the thing that I think troubles us, Bernard does some good things and then he disrespects the game,” Healy said.

“I guess they're human beings, so at the end of a match that hasn't gone your way you might be a bit fed-up or whatever, but gee, I think you owe it to the spectators to try to the end, not hold the racquet at the other end.

“I mean, that's absurd.

“He's making progress in terms of his ranking, his performances and so on, and then he just does something that basically unwinds all the good he does, and so you shake your head in disbelief.”

Kyrgios offered a cheeky response to the suggestion he could miss out representing his country at this year’s Olympics on Saturday, after he produced a spectacular “tweener” lob - a shot played through the legs - in his Madrid Open quarter-final defeat to world number six Kei Nishikori of Japan.

The world number 21, who was given a suspended 28-day ban for derogatory remarks made about the girlfriend of Switzerland’s Stanislas Wawrinka during a Rogers Cup match in August, tweeted: “Someone tell that Kitty chiller to watch that tweener lob, then she will understand why I'm on watch for the olympics lol.”

Healy acknowledged that Kyrgios’ behaviour had improved in recent months, but claimed it was “unnecessary” for him to make the comment.

The Tennis Australia chief stated that discussions regarding the nominations are set to take place next week, with the deadline for names to be put forward coming on June 30.