Source : ABC NEWS
Sports reporter Tony Jones has reiterated an apology he said he already made to Novak Djokovic’s team over comments that prompted the tennis great to boycott an on-court interview at the Australian Open.
After beating Jiří Lehečka to advance to the quarterfinals, Djokovic issued a short statement on court rather than a full interview with commentator Jim Courier, revealing he was boycotting the traditional post-match chat over “insulting and offensive comments” by Jones on host broadcaster Channel Nine.
Jones, during a live cross to Nine News Melbourne on Friday, turned around to vocal Serbian fans behind him and said Djokovic was “overrated” and “a has-been”, adding “kick him out”, apparently referencing the 2022 tournament when the Serb was not allowed to play due to his COVID vaccination status.
Jones said he was joking but Djokovic did not take it kindly, saying he “made a mockery of Serbian fans” and describing the comments about him as “insulting and offensive” after eschewing the customary on-court TV interview.
The 10-time Australian Open winner told reporters after the match on Sunday that the interview boycott would continue until Jones and Nine apologised.
Tony Jones called Djokovic “a has-been” and “overrated” during a news cross on Friday. (Getty Images: Vince Caligiuri)
On Monday morning, Jones said he considered his on-air remarks “banter” or “humour” but that he contacted Djokovic’s camp to apologise 48 hours ago, as soon as he found out “the Djokovic camp was not happy at all with those comments”.
“As I stand here now, I stand by that apology to Novak, if he felt any disrespect, which quite clearly he does,” Jones told Nine.
As far as making “a mockery” of the Serbian fans, Jones said he thought he had a rapport with them but recognised they found it disrespectful.
Nina Marković from the Serbian Council of Australia (SCOFA) said her organisation had received a number of complaints after Jones’s comments, with the fans themselves saying they were encouraged by the broadcaster to cheer loudly in the back of the shot for the live cross.
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“Some of the fans who were there at that moment, they almost felt as though they were set up,” she told ABC Radio Melbourne.
“SCOFA is now calling for the resignation of Mr Tony Jones, for the official and formal and public apology to be issued by Channel Nine to the Australian Serbian community.”
Jones on Monday said he enjoyed the “colour and passion” the Serbian fans provide.
“I do feel as though I’ve let down the Serbian fans,” he said.
“I’m not just saying this to try and wriggle out of trouble or anything. I genuinely feel for those fans.
“If I could turn back time … in hindsight, I think the one thing where I overstepped the mark and this is certainly what’s really sort of angered Novak Djokovic and his camp, is the last comment I made in that back and forth with the crowd: ‘Kick him out’.
“That has angered Novak, which I completely understand now. So look, 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 already offered to meet Djokovic for a face-to-face apology.
“I can only again tell Novak what I told him 48 hours ago and that is I do apologise if he felt that I disrespected,” he said.
“I should also add that in the correspondence with Novak’s team, I agreed to meet with them in person to discuss all this. They came back and said ‘yes, we would be keen to meet in person’. That hasn’t transpired, but I’m sure it will over the next 24 hours.”
Danielle Collins also called out ‘old guy’ Jones
Djokovic has enjoyed a love affair with the Australian Open, winning the singles title a record 10 times from 2008 to 2023, but the relationship took a turn a few years ago.
Djokovic earlier this month claimed he was “poisoned” by the food he received in quarantine before being deported before the 2022 Australian Open.
Australian Darren Cahill, who currently coaches top-ranked men’s player Jannik Sinner, said on ESPN’s broadcast that the 37-year-old was likely still hurt by that saga as he broke down the situation for US viewers, which included trying to describe Jones’s role hosting The Footy Show.
“I’m sure Tony was trying to be funny, but it was inappropriate and I don’t blame Novak for taking offence to that,” Cahill said, to which former world number four James Blake agreed.
It was not the first time Jones’s name has been invoked unfavourably by a star at this year’s Australian Open.
American pantomime villain Danielle Collins was labelled a “brat” by Jones on radio station 3AW after Collins told the crowd to kiss her backside following her second-round win over Australian Destanee Aiava.
Danielle Collins was labelled a “brat” on radio by Tony Jones. (Getty Images: Hannah Peters)
“I love this old guy. Tony? Tony Jones? This old … sorry to everybody in the room that’s over, like, 70. Sorry,” she said.
“I just loved how he called me a ‘brat’. And, like, it’s just so, like, Gen Z and Millennial right now. It’s Charli XCX and I really want him to do the dance that she does. He has to do it. He has to.”
The treatment of Collins put the Melbourne Park fans’ behaviour in the spotlight, and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on ABC Radio Sydney after Djokovic’s comments that “there is a place for more respect”.
“We need more kindness and generosity and respect, I think that’s what people are looking for,” he said.
“I think that someone booing a fault is wrong myself, but Australian fans are feisty, it’s a great tournament.”
