Novak Djokovic Demands Apology from Australian Open Broadcaster Over “Overrated” Comment

Novak Djokovic has taken a stand against Channel 9, the official broadcaster of the Australian Open, after alleging that one of their prominent journalists made derogatory remarks about him and his fans. The 24-time Grand Slam champion declined to participate in the customary post-match TV interview following his victory against Jiri Lehecka in the fourth round on Sunday night.

Djokovic told reporters in a post-match media appearance that he is boycotting the broadcaster as he has already had several cases of them portraying him as ‘overrated’, particularly Channel 9’s reporter Tony Jones did it to him during a segment at Melbourne Park, reportedly which fell when Serbia fans celebrated behind him in one of their biggest displays yet.

Although Djokovic did not mention Jones directly, he said that the journalist is “a famous sports journalist who works for the official broadcaster.” Novak Djokovic also alleged that the journalist ridiculed Serbian fans and insulted him.

“I leave it to Channel 9 to handle this the way they think they see fit. That’s all,” Novak Djokovic said while speaking to reporters, according to PTI.

Following his two-set victories against Lehecka at Rod Laver Arena, Djokovic, for the first time, bypassed the interview on the court. He gave a very short speech to the crowd thanking them for their support but had no words with the broadcaster.

#TonyJones to #Djokovic fans:
"#Novak he's overrated" "Novak's a has-been" "Novak kick him out" #Nole #NovakDjokovic #AusOpen2025 #AusOpen #AustralianOpen #NoleFam #AustralianOpen2025 #Alcaraz #AO #CarlosAlcaraz #JannikSinner #atp #tennis #usopen #Tenis pic.twitter.com/iZ6rn3MLjP

— Mark (@cmadsq) January 19, 2025

“Thank you very much for being here tonight. I appreciate your presence and the support. I’ll see you next round. Thank you very much,” Djokovic said before exiting the court.

Later, Djokovic elaborated on his decision, clarifying that his actions were directed solely at Channel 9 and Jones, not the fans or former player Jim Courier, who usually conducts the post-match interviews.

Djokovic said he had even talked to Tennis Australia CEO Craig Tiley regarding his concerns. “I just wanted to make sure that he knows where I stand and the reasons behind it,” he said.

The Serbian star further said that he was ready to accept any fines for skipping the interview, emphasizing the importance of taking a stand. “If you guys want to fine me for not giving an on-court interview, that’s OK. I’ll accept that because I feel like this is something that needs to be done.”

Channel 9 and Tony Jones have not gone on record concerning the allegations thrown against them by Djokovic. The controversy surrounding the incident is causing a serious stir, and both fans and commentators are commenting on the event.

With Djokovic advancing to the quarterfinals, all eyes are on whether the broadcaster and the tennis star can get their acts together—or if the tension will fall like a cloud across the rest of the tournament.