A prominent TV host issued a public on-air apology to Novak Djokovic on Monday after making mocking remarks about the tennis star and his Serbian supporters at the Australian Open. The 37-year-old Serbian tennis legend, who recently secured a place in the quarter-finals by defeating Jiri Lehecka in straight sets, refused to participate in a standard post-match on-court interview. Djokovic explained that his decision was a direct response to what he described as “insulting and offensive comments” made by Tony Jones, a leading sports presenter for Channel Nine, the host broadcaster.
Djokovic had expressed his frustration with Jones’ remarks, which he deemed disrespectful towards both him and his Serbian fans. He stated that he would not conduct interviews with the network until an official apology was issued.
Jones, who had been live at Melbourne Park on Friday, acknowledged the controversy surrounding his remarks. During the broadcast, Jones had noticed a large group of Djokovic’s supporters waving Serbian flags and cheering loudly behind him. In response, he began singing: “Novak, he’s overrated … Novak’s a has-been. Novak, kick him out.”
Initially, Jones defended his actions, labeling the comments as a form of playful banter and humor. However, after learning that Djokovic and his team were upset by the comments, Jones reached out to offer a formal apology.
“The comments were made on the news on Friday night, which I considered to be banter,” Jones explained during his apology. “I thought it was humor, which I thought was in line with the light-hearted nature of things I do. But I was made aware by Tennis Australia and the Djokovic camp that the comments weren’t well-received.”
Jones continued, “As soon as I realized the situation, I immediately contacted the Djokovic camp and issued an apology 48 hours ago for any disrespect that Novak felt I had caused.”
The presenter further expressed regret, saying that he had unintentionally disrespected Djokovic’s Serbian fanbase. “I should also say the disrespect was extended, in many ways, to the Serbian fans,” he said. “We’ve built a good rapport with them, and I thought this was just part of that banter. Clearly, it was not interpreted that way. I feel like I’ve let them down, and I regret the situation.”
The Serbian community in Australia responded strongly to Jones’ remarks, calling for his dismissal. The Serbian Council of Australia issued a statement condemning Jones’ comments as offensive and racist, adding that it had filed a complaint with the Australian Human Rights Commission. The statement also accused the host of inciting further discrimination against Australian-Serbs.
Additionally, Jones had faced criticism earlier in the tournament when he called American player Danielle Collins a “brat” after she expressed gratitude to Australian Open hecklers for “paying my bills” following her victory over home player Destanee Aiava.
The apology comes after significant backlash from both the Serbian community and fans of Djokovic, with the incident drawing widespread attention both in Australia and abroad. Despite the tension, Jones has expressed regret over the incident and reaffirmed his commitment to rectifying the situation.
