Australian broadcaster Tony Jones Issues On-Air Apology to Djokovic After Controversial Comments
Australian Open Drama Continues!

A prominent Australian broadcaster, Tony Jones, issued an on-air apology to 10-time Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic following comments he made that were perceived as mocking the tennis star and his Serbian fans during the Australian Open.
This incident unfolded after Djokovic’s victory over Jiri Lehecka, where he declined to participate in a standard post-match interview, citing the need for an apology from Jones for what he described as “insulting and offensive remarks” made during a previous broadcast.
Jones had made light-hearted comments during a live segment, singing phrases like “Novak, he’s overrated” while a group of Djokovic’s supporters cheered behind him. He later stated that he intended his remarks to be humorous but acknowledged that they were not received as such by Djokovic and his fans.
After being informed of the backlash from Djokovic’s camp, Jones reached out to apologize privately before making a public apology during a live broadcast.
In an interview on the channel on Monday, Jones said he thought the comments had been “banter” and he had immediately made a private apology to the “Djokovic camp” once he realised they had not been taken in humour.
“I can stand by that apology to Novak,” he said. “I should also say the disrespect was extended, in many ways, to the Serbian fans.
“We have built up a nice rapport with the Serbian fans, and there was banter, and I thought what I was doing was an extension of that banter. Quite clearly that has not been interpreted that way.
“I feel like I’ve let down the Serbian fans,” Jones admitted.
He expressed particular regret over his comment, “kick him out,” acknowledging that it could only be interpreted as a reference to Djokovic’s deportation from Australia during the controversy over his COVID vaccination status in early 2022.
“That has angered Novak which I completely understand now,” Jones said.
“It has been an unfortunate situation, it has been one of personal angst for Novak, it’s quite clearly personal angst for me as well.”
On Sunday, Djokovic expressing his disappointment, stated that he would boycott interviews with Channel Nine until he received a formal apology. He emphasized that his protest was directed at the broadcaster and not at his supporters or the audience present at the event.
The Serbian Council of Australia also condemned Jones’s comments, labelling them as offensive and discriminatory, and called for further action against him