Djokovic’s interview boycott another chapter in his dramatic Aus Open relationship

Source : ABC NEWS

Headlines are never far away from being written whenever Novak Djokovic contests the Australian Open.

And it’s not always for his exploits on court.

During the trophy presentation after winning his first major at Melbourne Park in 2008, Djokovic put noses out of joint when he claimed the crowd wanted his opponent Jo-Wilfried Tsonga to “win more”.

Before the 2021 Australian Open, he was criticised for penning a letter to tournament director Craig Tiley, requesting the easing of COVID quarantine restrictions for players.

It attracted a backlash from an Australian public in the grips of the pandemic, while Nick Kyrgios — now a friend of Djokovic — described the Serbian at the time as a “tool”.

Djokovic later attempted to appease the situation by saying he had “good intentions” and his approach to Tiley was “misconstrued as being selfish, difficult and ungrateful”.

This didn’t wash with his critics.

Djokovic’s stance ahead of his visa cancellation in 2022 also won him few supporters, although even some of his most vocal critics, including Kyrgios, were taken aback by how the champion was treated.

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And as recently as two weeks ago, on the eve of this year’s Australian Open kicking off, the 24-time major champion triggered controversy when he alleged he was “poisoned” by the food he ate while detained during the visa saga.

One of Kyrgios’s major digs at Djokovic before they became best mates post-2022, was that Djokovic had “a sick obsession with wanting to be liked”.

“He just wants to be like Roger [Federer]. … I feel like he just wants to be liked so much that I just can’t stand him,” Kyrgios said in 2019.

But in the past couple of journeys to Australia, either resigned to not being liked or no longer caring if he is, Djokovic has struck a different tone.

Tensions rose in 2023 when his father was kicked out for posing with a Russian flag at the height of the invasion of Ukraine, which Djokovic said was “interpreted … in a really wrong way”. In 2024, Djokovic suggested a heckler in the crowd come say it to his face.

And this year, he sided with American public enemy number one Danielle Collins in her feud with the Australian crowd.

“I loved her response. I loved it, everything she said on the court, off the court,” Djokovic said after Collins suggested the crowd kiss her backside after her win over qualifier Destanee Aiava.

And, at the halfway point in the season-opening major, Djokovic is in the news again.

The 10-time Australian Open winner boycotted his on-court interview after his fourth-round win over Jiří Lehečka on Sunday night, with his decision prompted by comments from Nine sport reporter Tony Jones made during a live cross in a news bulletin on Friday.

With a vocal group of Serbian supporters in the background, Jones said Djokovic was “overrated” and “a has-been”.

He also said, “Kick him out”, which Jones — while issuing a public apology to Djokovic on Monday morning — acknowledged was “interpreted as a throwback to the COVID years” when the former world number one was deported from Australia.

Jones tried to pass off the situation as an attempt at “banter”, but Djokovic and his supporters aren’t laughing.

On Sunday night when addressing the media, Djokovic claimed Jones had “made a mockery of Serbian fans” and considered his comments “insulting and offensive”.

He highlighted his angst was directed at Jones and Nine, and not the Australian public.

Members of Australia’s Serbian community share Djokovic’s despair, amid calls the Human Rights Commission investigate the incident.

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“This is a real issue and these feelings are real, trauma is real,” Serbian Council of Australia spokesperson Nina Markovic told ABC Melbourne.

Online reaction has been wide reaching, with Djokovic receiving support for his position from many quarters.

But he also been accused of overreacting, not taking a joke, and lacking an understanding of the Australian sense of humour.

It is likely Djokovic will drop his interview boycott with Nine, now Jones has publicly apologised.

But the episode has again made Djokovic a lightning rod for headlines that aren’t always to do with his tennis.