Tony Jones has issued an apology to Novak Djokovic after comments the veteran broadcaster made at the Australian Open led to the Serbian tennis star boycotting Channel Nine’s coverage of the tournament.
Djokovic opted not to give a customary on-court interview after beating Jiri Lehecka on Sunday to move into this year’s quarter-finals, before revealing he would not speak to the host broadcaster until he received an apology.
Jones, according to the 10-time Australian Open champion, “made a mockery of Serbian fans and also made insulting and offensive comments towards me” during a segment on Friday evening’s news show.
The 63-year-old said on Monday he had reached out to Djokovic and his camp on Saturday to apologise for making the comments, which he considered to be “banter”.
“I considered it to be humour, which is consistent with most things I do,” Jones said before play started at Melbourne Park on day nine of the year’s first grand slam. “Having said that, I was made aware on the 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 an apology to them. And as I stand here now, I stand by that apology to Novak … I do apologise if he felt that I disrespected him.”
Jones caused an outcry when he sledged a group of animated Serbian supporters in a live broadcast, singing back at them, “Novak, he’s overrated. Novak’s a has-been. Novak, kick him out.”
He acknowledged the impact his comments had on Serbian fans and said he “overstepped the mark” with that last remark.
“Now I can stand here and put whatever spin I want on that, but it can only be interpreted as a throwback to the Covid years when he was kicked out [of Australia],” he said. “Now that that has angered Novak, which I completely understand now.
“They [the Serbian fans] come here with the flags and they provide so much colour and so much passion and there was banter, so I thought what I was doing was an extension of that banter. Quite clearly that hasn’t been interpreted that way. So I do feel as though I’ve let down the Serbian fans.”
Jones said he had offered to meet with the Djokovic camp to discuss the incident and expects to do so in the next 24 hours.
Channel Nine also issued an apology on Monday.
“Nine would like to apologise to Novak Djokovic for any offence caused from comments made during a recent live cross. No harm was intended towards Novak or his fans. We look forward to further showcasing his Australian Open campaign at Melbourne Park.”
The issue threatens to overshadow Djokovic’s pursuit of an 11th Australian Open title, with video of the broadcast quickly going viral.
A formal complaint has been lodged with the Human Rights Commission by the Serbian Council of Australia, which also called for Jones to be stood down in a statement released on Monday.
Tennis great Boris Becker called Jones’s behaviour “very disturbing”, while two-time Australian Open champion Viktoria Azarenka said: “The audacity to call Novak Djokovic overrated by a reporter is just insane. The guy literally completed tennis by winning everything you can in our sport!”
The Australian prime minister, Anthony Albanese, was asked to weigh into the controversy on Monday and he called for more respect.
“I’ll let that go through to the keeper, that’s a matter between them,” Albanese said. “But I think Novak Djokovic is certainly a fine tennis player, there’s no question about that, and I do think that there is a place for more respect.
“I’ve seen the comments that were made by the broadcaster … We need more kindness and generosity and respect just across the board. I think that’s what people are looking for.”
Jones said he hoped the focus could now shift back to the tennis, with the Serb to next meet third seed Carlos Alcaraz in the match of the tournament so far on Tuesday night.
