Djokovic said he would not take part in interviews with Channel Nine until he received an apology from broadcaster Tony Jones over what the tennis superstar called “insulting and offensive” comments.
Update: On Monday morning, Jones made an on-air apology, see below.
The Serbian player left the court without speaking to interviewer Jim Courier.
At his post-match press conference, he delivered a statement requesting an apology from Jones and Nine.
“I would like to just clarify the reason why the interview was not conducted on the court, the post-match interview, like it’s a common, usual practice,” Djokovic said.
“Couple days ago the famous sports journalist [Jones] who works for official broadcaster, Channel Nine here in Australia, made a mockery of Serbian fans and also made insulting and offensive comments towards me. And since then, he chose not to issue any public apology. Neither did Channel Nine.
“So since they’re official broadcasters, I chose not to give interviews for Channel Nine. I have nothing against Jim Courier or neither the Australian public.
“It was a very awkward situation for me to face on the court today. It’s unfortunate I chose to say something to the crowd, but obviously wasn’t the time and space or situation for me to explain what I’m doing right now.
“I leave it to Channel Nine to handle this the way they think they see fit. That’s all.”
It comes after Jones made comments about Djokovic while presenting the sports bulletin on Nine on Friday night.
During the live cross, a group of Djokovic fans holding Serbian flags were cheering in the background.
“Welcome back to Melbourne Park, where you can see the Novak Djokovic fans, they’re in full voice,” Jones said. “The chants are quite extraordinary.”
Jones started his own chants over the sound of the crowd.
“Novak, he’s overrated. Novak’s a has-been. Novak, kick him out.
“Boy, I’m glad they can’t hear me. Anyway, let’s get onto the tennis.”
Jones made an apology on Nine’s ‘Today’ show on Monday morning.
“The comments were made on the news on the Friday night, which I considered to be banter, ” he said. “I considered it to be humour, which is consistent with most things I do.
“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, if he felt any disrespect, which quite clearly he does,” he continued.
“I should also say the disrespect was extended, in many ways, to the Serbian fans. 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 do feel as though I’ve let down the Serbian fans. It has been an unfortunate situation.”
He admitted he believed there was one comment in particular where he ‘overstepped the mark.’ “The last comment I made in that back-and-forth with the crowd – ‘kick him out’,” Jones said.
“Now, I can stand here and put whatever spin on in that, but it can only be interpreted as a throwback to the COVID years when he [Djokovic] was kicked out.” [Djokovic was deported from Australia in 2022 because his vaccination status did not meet the country’s COVID-19. rules]. “Now, that has angered Novak, which I completely understand now. So look, it’s it has been an unfortunate situation. It’s been one of personal angst for Novak. It’s quite clearly personal angst for me as well. But I just think the priority here now is to focus on the tennis again.”
Jones said he had offered to meet with Djokovic’s team in person to discuss the events.
“They came back and said: ‘Yes, we’d be keen to meet in person’. That hasn’t transpired, but I’m sure it will over the next 24 hours,” said Jones.
Jones reportedly had also earlier described the comments as being “good-natured banter” with the Serbian fans.
“It was good-natured banter with the Serbian fans,” he said to news.com.au.
“We’ve been doing it all tournament and it’s all in good fun. This is the happy Slam.”
Serbian website Sport Klub also published a reported apology from Jones.
It reads: “Unfortunately, my ‘humour’ the other night was misinterpreted as an attack on Novak. That was certainly not the case. I’ve been joking with Serbian fans throughout the tournament and this is – at least I thought so – a continuation of that.
“If you watch our morning show, you’ll get an idea of how we work. At no point did I mean to show any disrespect to Novak and I apologise – there was certainly no intention to offend him.”