TV host issues apology to Djokovic over 'insulting' comments

A well-known TV presenter apologized on-air Monday to Novak Djokovic after mocking the 24-time Grand Slam winner and his Serbian fans at the Australian Open, saying it was meant to be banter.

The 37-year-old tennis great refused to do a routine on-court interview after beating Jiri Lehecka in three sets on Rod Laver Arena to make the quarterfinals on Sunday evening.

Afterwards he said it was in protest at Tony Jones, a top sports presenter with host broadcaster Channel 9, who he accused of "insulting and offensive comments" towards him and Serbian fans.

Djokovic said he would boycott interviews with the TV station until he got an apology.

"The comments were made on the news on the Friday night, which I considered to be banter. I considered it to be humor, which is consistent with most things I do," Jones said on Monday.

"Having said that, I was made aware on Saturday morning, from Tennis Australia via the Djokovic camp, that the Djokovic camp was not happy at all with those comments.

"As such I immediately contacted the Djokovic camp and issued and apology to them — 48 hours ago — for any disrespect that Novak felt, that I had caused.

"As I stand here now I can only stand by that apology to Novak."

The veteran broadcaster was live at Melbourne Park on Friday when a large group of Djokovic fans holding Serbian flags began cheering in the background behind him.

Jones responded by singing to them: "Novak, he's overrated ...Novak's a has-been. Novak, kick him out."

"I should also say the disrespect was extended, in many ways, to the Serbian fans," he said in his apology.

"We have built up a nice rapport with the Serbian fans ... there is banter, and I thought what I was doing was an extension of that banter. Quite clearly that has not been interpreted that way.

"I feel as though I've let down the Serbian fans. It has been an unfortunate situation."

In a strongly worded statement issued before Jones's 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.

"His comments are offensive, racist and only serve to incite further discrimination of Australian-Serbs," it said.

Jones was also a target for American player Danielle Collins last week after he labeled her a "brat" when she thanked Australian Open hecklers for "paying my bills" in her defeat of home hope Destanee Aiava.

Djokovic said a "famous sports journalist who works for official broadcaster, Channel 9 ... made a mockery of Serbian fans and also made insulting and offensive comments toward me."

Djokovic said he will continue to avoid speaking to the network.

"I leave it to Channel 9 to handle this the way they think they see fit. That's all," Djokovic said.

Djokovic later posted a message on X reiterating why he declined to speak. That triggered a reply from billionaire X owner Elon Musk, who said "It's way better just to talk to the public directly than go through the negativity filter of legacy media".

Djokovic replied to Musk's tweet with "Indeed" followed by a raised hands emoji.

Agencies