Novak Djokovic addressed the situation surrounding his stance against Channel 9 after the match on X platform.
Elon Musk and Novak Djokovic (via X)
Serbian tennis star Novak Djokovic has addressed the fans regarding the situation he finds himself in at the Australian Open. The 24-time Grand Slam champion skipped an on-court interview after his fourth-round win against Jiri Lehecka.
After the match, he refused to speak with Jim Courier and instead addressed the fans on X about the matter. He was strongly supported by Twitter CEO Elon Musk, who backed Djokovic’s decision to address the fans on social media rather than in the heat of the moment with negative crowd reactions.
Djokovic’s actions were mainly directed towards his boycott of Channel 9 and presenter Tony Jones. Jones had made controversial remarks about Djokovic and Serbian fans.
Despite the controversy, Djokovic is now focused on his high-stakes quarterfinal clash against Carlos Alcaraz. The duo last faced off in the Gold medal match at the Paris Olympics, where the Serbian triumphed.
Aussie tennis star Nick Kyrgios has criticized Tony Jones after the veteran presenter mocked Serbian tennis fans and called Novak Djokovic a “has-been.” Kyrgios joined many fans who found Jones’ remarks offensive and inappropriate.
On Saturday, Jones made fun of Djokovic in front of a large crowd of fans who had gathered behind him while he was presenting the afternoon sports segment. The crowd was cheering for the 24-time Grand Slam champion, but Jones used the opportunity to mock him, drawing attention from many who were not pleased with the comments.
One person from the crowd posted online, claiming that Nine Network staff had asked them to chant in support of Djokovic. However, they were unaware that Jones was making fun of the Serb just out of earshot, adding insult to the situation.
The incident took place just before Djokovic’s third-round match against Tomas Machac at Melbourne’s Rod Laver Arena. Jones commented on the cheering crowd behind him, but many tennis fans failed to see the humor. Kyrgios and Aussie tennis great Paul McNamee both took offense to Jones’ remarks, adding their voices to the criticism.
