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A leading television presenter apologized to Novak Djokovic on Monday after he made fun of the 24-time Grand Slam champion and his Serbian fans at the Australian Open, saying it was meant in jest.
The 37-year-old tennis star refused to give a routine on-court interview after beating Jiri Lehecka in three sets at Rod Laver Arena on Sunday night to reach the quarterfinals.
He then said it was a protest against Tony Jones, a top sports presenter at host broadcaster Channel Nine, whom he accused of making “abusive and insulting comments” towards him and Serbian fans.
Djokovic said he would boycott interviews with the television station until he receives an apology.
“The comments were made on Friday night’s news, which I saw as a joke. I thought it was humor, which was consistent with most things I do,” Jones said Monday.
“However, it was brought to my attention on Saturday morning by Tennis Australia via the Djokovic camp that the Djokovic camp was not at all happy with these comments.”
“Therefore, I immediately contacted the Djokovic camp and apologized to them 48 hours ago for any disrespect that Novak felt and that I had caused.”
“As I stand here now, I can only agree with this apology to Novak.”
The veteran broadcaster was live at Melbourne Park on Friday when, in the background behind him, a large group of Djokovic fans began cheering with Serbian flags.
Jones responded by singing to them: “Novak, he’s overrated…Novak is an old man. Novak, throw him out.”
“I should also say that in many ways the disrespect has extended to the Serbian fans,” he said in his apology.
“We have developed a good relationship with the Serbian fans… there are jokes and I thought what I did was an extension of those jokes. It was clearly not interpreted that way.”
“I feel like I let the Serbian fans down. It was an unfortunate situation.”
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