The host broadcaster issued an apology after Novak Djokovic chose not to participate in the usual post-match interview at the Australian Open on Sunday.
His decision came as a response to remarks made on air by a Channel 9 broadcaster that he found offensive.
The 24-time Grand Slam champion explained his decision as a protest against remarks from Tony Jones, who had referred to him as “overrated” and a “has-been” during a live segment at Melbourne Park, where Djokovic’s fans were chanting in support of him.
Though Djokovic did not directly name Jones, he criticized “a famous sports journalist who works for official broadcaster, Channel 9” for mocking Serbian fans and making offensive remarks about him.
“I leave it to Channel 9 to handle this the way they think they see fit. That’s all,” Djokovic said, adding he would not engage with the network further until an apology was issued.
The Nine Network responded Monday with a statement apologizing for the incident.
“No harm was intended towards Novak or his fans,” the network said. “We look forward to further showcasing his Australian Open campaign at Melbourne Park.”
Tony Jones, appearing on the Today program, offered his own apology, stating that his comments were meant as “banter.” He elaborated, “I considered it to be humor, which is consistent with most things I do. Having said that, I was made aware … that the Djokovic camp was not happy at all with those comments. 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.”
Jones extended his apology to Serbian fans who may have been offended. “I do feel as though I’ve let down the Serbian fans. I’m not just saying this to try and wriggle out of trouble or anything. I genuinely feel for those fans,” he said. “So, I can only again tell Novak what I told him 48 hours ago. And that is I do apologize if he felt that I disrespected him.”
After defeating Jiri Lehecka in straight sets to advance to the quarterfinals, Djokovic chose not to give the customary on-court interview with former player Jim Courier.
Instead, he addressed the crowd directly, saying, “Thank you very much for being here tonight. I appreciate your presence and the support. I’ll see you next round. Thank you very much.”
Later, Djokovic used his press conference to explain his decision, making it clear his protest was directed at Jones and Channel 9, not Courier or the fans in attendance.
He also discussed the matter with Tennis Australia CEO Craig Tiley. “I just wanted to make sure that he knows where I stand and the reasons behind it,” Djokovic explained. “So I told him: ‘If you guys want to fine me for not giving an on-court interview, that’s OK.’ I’ll accept that ’cause I feel like this is something that needs to be done. That’s all there is to it.”
Djokovic later shared his stance on social media, prompting Elon Musk to weigh in. The billionaire and X platform owner commented, “It’s way better just to talk to the public directly than go through the negativity filter of legacy media.” Djokovic responded with a simple, “Indeed,” accompanied by a raised hands emoji.
The 37-year-old Serbian is set to face No. 3 seed Carlos Alcaraz in the quarterfinals on Tuesday.
