Australian Open: Djokovic skips post-match interview

Qualified for the quarter-finals of the Australian Open this Sunday, Novak Djokovic (7th in the world) justified his hasty exit from the court, without giving the traditional post-match interview, with “insulting comments” from a journalist employed by the official tournament broadcaster.

After his victory in three sets in the round of 16 in Melbourne against the Czech Jiri Lehecka (29th), Djokovic quickly left the court of the Rod Laver Arena, without stopping to carry out the ritual post-match interview.

“A few days ago, a famous sports journalist from Channel 9 made fun of Serbian fans and made insulting comments about me,” the Serb assured at a press conference, without specifying the exact nature of the comments.

Neither the journalist concerned, whose name Djokovic did not give, nor his employer presented him with a “public apology”. “Given that Channel 9 is the official broadcaster” of the Australian Open, the former world No. 1 has decided to no longer grant them an interview as long as the channel does not apologize. “I let Channel 9 manage the situation in the way they deem most appropriate,” concluded the Serb, who will face Carlos Alcaraz (3rd) in the quarter-finals.

Since Friday evening, a video showing the presenter of Channel 9 Tony Jones making fun of Novak Djokovic supporters is circulating on social networks. “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 vaccinate against Covid-19. “I’m glad they can’t hear me,” the presenter concludes.

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.

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