NEW DELHI: A prominent TV host apologized live to Novak Djokovic for making fun of the 24-time Grand Slam champion and his Serbian supporters, claiming it was only lighthearted banter at the Australian Open.
After defeating Jiri Lehecka in three sets on Rod Laver Arena on Sunday night to go to the quarterfinals, the 37-year-old tennis legend declined to participate in a standard on-court interview.
He later claimed that it was in protest of Tony Jones, a prominent sports presenter with Channel Nine, whom he said had made “insulting and offensive comments” about him and Serbian supporters.
Djokovic threatened to stop doing interviews with the television network until he received an apology.
“The comments were made on the news on the Friday night, which I considered to be banter. I considered it to be humour, which is consistent with most things I do,” Jones said on Monday.
“Having said that, I was made aware on Saturday morning, from Tennis Australia via the Djokovic camp, that the Djokovic camp was not happy at all with those comments.
“As such I immediately contacted the Djokovic camp and issued and apology to them — 48 hours ago — for any disrespect that Novak felt, that I had caused.
“As I stand here now I can only stand by that apology to Novak.”
On Friday, while the seasoned commentator was live at Melbourne Park, a sizable contingent of Djokovic supporters brandishing Serbian flags started applauding behind him.
Jones responded by singing to them: “Novak, he’s overrated … Novak’s a has-been. Novak, kick him out.”
“I should also say the disrespect was extended, in many ways, to the Serbian fans,” he said in his apology.
“We have built up a nice rapport with the Serbian fans … there is 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 as though I’ve let down the Serbian fans. It has been an unfortunate situation.”
The Serbian Council of Australia demanded Jones’s dismissal and stated it had filed a complaint with the Australian Human Rights Commission in a strongly worded statement released prior to his apology.
“His comments are offensive, racist and only serve to incite further discrimination of Australian-Serbs,” it said.
Jones was also a target for American player Danielle Collins last week after he labelled her a “brat” when she thanked Australian Open hecklers for “paying my bills” in her defeat of home hope Destanee Aiava.
