The ten-time winner of the Australian Open Novak Djokovic justified his hasty exit from the court on Sunday, without giving the traditional post-match interview, by “insulting comments” from a journalist employed by the official broadcaster of the tournament.
After his victory in three sets in the round of 16 in Melbourne against the Czech Jiri Lehecka, Djokovic quickly left the court at Rod Laver Arena, without stopping to carry out the ritual interview.
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“A few days ago, a famous sports journalist from Channel 9 made fun of Serbian supporters and made insulting comments about me,” assured the Serb at a press conference, without specifying the exact nature of the remarks.
Neither the journalist concerned, whose name Djokovic did not give, nor his employer offered him a “public apology”.
“Given that Channel 9 is the official broadcaster” of the Australian Open, the former world number 1 has decided not to give them any more interviews as long as the channel does not apologize.
“I let Channel 9 manage the situation in the way they deem most appropriate,” concluded the Serbian, who will face Carlos Alcaraz in the quarter-final.
-Since Friday evening, a video showing Channel 9 presenter Tony Jones mocking Novak Djokovic’s supporters has been circulating on social media.
“We’re back at Melbourne Park, where you can see Novak Djokovic’s fans singing at the top of their lungs,” says the journalist.
“The chants are quite extraordinary: Novak is overrated, Novak is in the past, Novak, expel him,” continues Tony Jones, three years after the Serb was expelled from Australia for his refusal to be vaccinated against COVID-19. I’m glad they can’t hear me.”
On Sunday, Novak Djokovic stressed that he had “nothing against Jim Courier”, who was to conduct the interview on court, “nor against the Australian public”.
He also clarified that he would agree to pay the fine provided for players who do not comply with post-match interviews, theoretically obligatory.
