Australian TV host apologizes to Djokovic for ‘offensive, racist’ remarks | tennis news
The tennis great has refused to give an on-court interview after Tony Jones made ‘disrespectful and insulting’ comments towards him and Serbian fans.
The 24-time Grand Slam winner and a prominent television presenter have apologized on air to Novak Djokovic after he mocked Serbian fans at the Australian Open, with Elon Musk and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese among those involved in the controversy.
The 37-year-old tennis great refused to give a routine on-court interview after defeating Jiri Lehka to reach the quarter-finals in Melbourne on Sunday evening.
He later said the host was in protest against broadcaster Channel Nine’s top sports presenter Tony Jones, whom he accused of making “derogatory and offensive comments” towards him and Serbian fans.
Jones had, among other things, labeled Djokovic as “done”, but said in his apology that it was a “joke”.
Djokovic said he would boycott TV station interviews until he received an apology.
He later released a short video on X to explain his stance to fans, which received over 60 million views and caught the attention of Musk, the site’s owner.
Musk posted in response, “It’s better to speak directly to the public than to go through the legacy media negativity filter,” Djokovic replied: “Really.”
Tennis greats including former world number Boris Becker, Australian Nick Kyrgios, Jannik Sinner’s coach Darren Cahill and Grand Slam champion Victoria Azarenka all spoke out in support of Djokovic.
For a reporter to have the audacity to call Novak Djokovic overrated is absolutely insane. That guy literally accomplished tennis by winning everything you could in our game!
– Victoria Azarenka (@vika7) 19 January 2025
‘Bunter’
“Comments were made on the news on Friday night that I took to be a joke. “I thought of it as humor, which is in line with most things I do,” Jones said Monday.
“Having said that, I was made aware on Saturday morning from Tennis Australia through the Djokovic camp that the Djokovic camp was not at all happy with those comments.
“So I immediately contacted the Djokovic camp and apologized – 48 hours ago – for any disrespect I may have caused Novak.
“As I stand here now, I can only stand by apologizing to Novak.”
The veteran broadcaster was live at Melbourne Park on Friday as a large group of Djokovic fans carrying Serbian flags began cheering in the background behind him.
Jones responded by singing to him: “Novak, he’s overrated… Novak is such a guy. Novak, take him out.
“I should also say that there were many ways of disrespect towards the Serbian fans,” he said in his apology.
“We have built a good relationship with the Serbian fans… there is joking, and I felt what I was doing was an extension of that joking. Quite clearly it has not been interpreted that way.
“I feel as if I have let the Serbian fans down. It has been an unfortunate situation.”
Channel Nine also apologized, saying “No harm was intended to Novak or his fans.”
But in a strongly worded statement released before Jones’ apology, the Serbian Council of Australia called for him to be sacked and said it had lodged a complaint with the Australian Human Rights Commission.
It added, “His comments are offensive, racist and only serve to further inflame discrimination among Australian Serbs.”
Australian Prime Minister Albanese urged more “compassion and generosity”.
“I’ve seen the comments made by Jones,” he told ABC radio. “We need more kindness, generosity and respect across the board. “That’s what people are looking for.”
Jones was also the target of American player Danielle Collins last week, after she branded her a “child” after she thanked Australian Open hecklers for “paying my bills” in her defeat to home hope Destanee Ayawa.
