A TV presenter has offered his mea culpa to Novak Djokovic for what the Serbian tennis star called "insulting and offensive" remarks made at his expense. The AP reports on the "bizarre off-court distraction" that jump-started the commotion at this weekend's Australian Open in Melbourne, in which Djokovic oddly refused to do the usual post-match interview on Sunday evening with official broadcaster Channel 9 on the court after he beat Czech player Jiri Lehecka at Rod Laver Arena. Djokovic didn't initially reveal why he was staying silent, but at a later presser, he explained it was due to disparaging statements from a "famous sports journalist," and that he wanted an apology.
Those statements were made by Channel 9 sports commentator Tony Jones on Friday as he was going back and forth with Serbian fans who were chanting in support of Djokovic. Jones joined in at one point with "Novak is overrated ... Novak's a has-been ... Novak kick him out." Per the Athletic, that last jab was apparently in reference to when Djokovic was deported from Down Under ahead of the 2022 Australian Open for not being vaccinated against COVID. "I considered it to be humor," Jones said Monday on Channel 9 of his barbs against the 24-time Grand Slam winner. He said he'd "overstepped the mark," and that "the disrespect extended in many ways to the Serbian fans ... I thought what I was doing was an extension of [their] banter. Quite clearly what I was doing wasn't interpreted that way."
Jones also noted that he'd reached out to see if he could meet with Djokovic "in person," but that he hadn't yet gotten an answer, per the BBC. A member of Djokovic's team tells the Athletic that it doesn't seem likely. "Novak acknowledges the apology has been given in public as requested, and is now moving on and focusing on his next match," a statement from Tennis Australia issued Monday notes, seemingly affirming that Djokovic isn't keen on dragging things out with a Jones meeting. (More Novak Djokovic stories.)
,
uBlock 
,
and
Ghostery 
)
