Dave Hughes hits back at Vanessa Sierra amid Bernard Tomic split drama

Dave ‘Hughesy’ Hughes has returned serve in his war of words with tennis WAG Vanessa Sierra.

The radio host, 50, insists he never betrayed the OnlyFans star’s confidence when he claimed she had ‘broken up’ with former world No. 17 Bernard Tomic.

He had announced their ‘split’ on 2Day FM on Monday, only for her to accuse him of spreading ‘fake news’ and using ‘off-the-record’ quotes.

And in the latest chapter of the saga on Tuesday, Hughesy told Fifi, Fev and Nick he hadn’t repeated anything on air that Vanessa, 25, said was ‘off the record’. 

Hitting back: Radio host Dave ‘Hughesy’ Hughes has returned serve in his war of words with tennis WAG Vanessa Sierra 

‘I didn’t break her confidence,’ he said, defending his journalistic integrity.

‘When you’ve got [an] Instagram [post] with a broken-heart emoji, people are going to think you’re broken up, aren’t they?’ he added.

Hughesy did confirm he and the Love Island star had exchanged messages on Instagram about her ‘split’ with Tomic.

‘She said “can we keep this private?” but I’d already teased on air that I was messaging her,’ he added.

Feud: Hughesy, 50, insists he never betrayed Vanessa’s (pictured) confidence when he claimed she had ‘broken up’ with former world No. 17 Bernard Tomic. He had announced their ‘split’ on Monday, only for her to accuse him of spreading ‘fake news’ and using ‘off-the-record’ quotes

‘As soon as she said “off the record” I did not say what she told me, and I won’t tell you either. I’m a great guy,’ said Hughesy. 

The 2Day FM host then claimed Vanessa had doctored screenshots of their DMs which she said disputed his initial report she’d split from Tomic

‘You know what, she’s edited the screenshots online as well,’ he said.

Hughes did not disclose the original contents of the pair’s private conversation.  

Over? In the latest chapter of the saga on Tuesday, Hughesy told Fifi, Fev and Nick he hadn’t repeated anything on air that Vanessa (pictured with Tomic) said was ‘off the record’

Sierra initially lashed out at Hughesy after he claimed she told him she’d quietly split with her boyfriend of eight months Tomic.

Dave made the comments on 2Day FM’s The Morning Crew radio show, saying Vanessa had confirmed the break-up to him ‘off the record’.   

‘It’s fair to say they’ve broken up,’ Hughes told his co-hosts Erin Molan and Ed Kavalee, adding that he did not know the reason for the split. 

Denied: Sierra initially lashed out at Hughesy after he claimed she told him she’d quietly split with her boyfriend of eight months Tomic

Dave added: ‘This is as much as I can share, Erin. I’ve already said too much.’

Vanessa later denied confirming the split, posting on Instagram Stories: ‘For anyone who listened to Hughesy on the radio I never confirmed a break-up. 

‘My initial response saying “I don’t talk to media” does not count as a reply to his DM. Clearly off the record means nothing these days.’

Riposte: Vanessa later denied confirming the split, posting on Instagram Stories: ‘For anyone who listened to Hughesy on the radio I never confirmed a break-up’ 

Vanessa also added the hashtag #fakenews, before posting further about the matter on her main Instagram account, alongside a bikini snap.  

‘If you want legitimate news about me get the facts directly from me. I speak when I choose to. And I do NOT speak to media #fakenews,’ she captioned the photo. 

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Hughesy for comment. 

Split? It comes after Vanessa shared an image of herself posing in a bikini to Instagram on Saturday, adding a cryptic caption that hinted she and Bernard (left) had parted ways

It comes after Vanessa shared an image of herself posing in a bikini to Instagram on Saturday, adding a cryptic caption that hinted she and Tomic, 28, had parted ways. 

It read: ‘Fool me twice’ and was flanked with a broken-heart emoji. 

Over on her Instagram Stories, Vanessa further hinted she had some unhappy news to share.

She told her followers: ‘I’ve always [been] real and raw with you guys about my life, both my ups and downs despite potential judgment.

Cryptic post: Her post read ‘Fool me twice’ and was flanked with a broken-heart emoji 

‘And you have always been incredibly supportive and my rocks. I’ll speak to you all when I’m ready.’

The couple were last seen together weeks ago in a series of steamy photos taken in the beachside Croatian holiday destination, Split, on May 12. 

The model shared a sweet video of them on her Instagram Story on a romantic stroll by the sea.

Sad: In her Instagram Stories, Vanessa further hinted that she had some unhappy news to share. She told her followers: ‘I’ve always (been) real and raw with you guys about my life… I’ll speak to you all when I’m ready’

Loved up: The couple were last seen together weeks ago in a series of steamy photos taken in the beachside Croatian holiday destination, Split, on May 12

In March, Vanessa flaunted the diamond ‘promise ring’ Bernard had given her, in a video shared to Instagram Stories. 

The gorgeous accessory, which retails for $5,500, was chosen to match the white gold Cartier Love Ring ring she’d previously bought herself.   

‘He surprised me with a promise ring to match the Cartier I bought myself,’ the model captioned the clip, adding a heart-eyes emoji. 

The brunette debuted her relationship with Bernard last November, when she posted a photo of the tennis bad boy biting her bare buttocks. 

Bling: In March, Vanessa flaunted the diamond ‘promise ring’ Bernard had given her, in a video shared to Instagram Stories

He also starred alongside her in an adult scene on OnlyFans. 

The couple, affectionately nicknamed ‘Dim and Tomic’ by tennis fans, regularly appeared on each other’s social media accounts.    

In December, Vanessa referred to the sportsman as her ‘husband’ on Instagram.  

That same month, Bernard referred to Vanessa as his ‘wifey’.

Despite these gushing posts, the couple were neither married nor engaged.  

 Tasty: The brunette debuted her relationship with Bernard last November, when she posted a photo of the tennis bad boy biting her bare buttocks

In January, Vanessa revealed on her social media platforms that she had accompanied her tennis star boyfriend to Qatar for his tennis matches.   

The pair then spent time in hotel quarantine together, in Qatar, and in Melbourne, after Bernard qualified to play in the Australian Open.   

Before dating Bernard, Vanessa made headlines as one of the first Australian reality stars to make a living off the adults-only subscription website OnlyFans.  

Travel: In January, Vanessa revealed on her social media platforms that she had accompanied her tennis star boyfriend to Qatar for his tennis matches 

 Locked down: The pair then spent time in hotel quarantine together, in Qatar, and in Melbourne, after Bernard qualified to play in the Australian Open

She joined the platform with her then-boyfriend Luke Erwin in early 2020. 

Vanessa rose to fame on Channel Nine’s Love Island Australia in 2019. 

She was paired with Matthew Zukowski but their romance fizzled out. He went on to have a relationship with former Bachelor star Keira Maguire. 

Before dating Vanessa, Bernard was romantically linked to Bachelor star Kaitlyn Hoppe, who is the daughter of retired rugby league player Sean Hoppe. 

Fame: Vanessa rose to fame on Channel Nine’s Love Island Australia in 2019. She was paired with Matthew Zukowski (left) but their romance fizzled out