{"id":20905,"date":"2025-01-21T02:57:58","date_gmt":"2025-01-21T02:57:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=20905"},"modified":"2025-01-21T02:57:58","modified_gmt":"2025-01-21T02:57:58","slug":"revealed-why-channel-nine-and-australian-open-bosses-were-blindsided-by-novak-djokovics-boycott-as-broadcaster-makes-stunning-move-to-protect-tony-jones","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=20905","title":{"rendered":"Revealed: Why Channel Nine and Australian Open bosses were blindsided by Novak Djokovic’s boycott – as broadcaster makes stunning move to protect Tony Jones"},"content":{"rendered":"

It’s been revealed exactly why Channel Nine and\u00a0Australian Open<\/span>\u00a0bosses were blindsided by\u00a0Novak Djokovic<\/span>‘s dramatic boycott – as the broadcaster beefs up security around Tony Jones.<\/p>\n

The drama began on Friday night when Jones stood in front of a group of chanting Serbian fans on live TV and\u00a0sledged the 24-time grand slam champion<\/span>.<\/p>\n

‘Welcome back to Melbourne Park, where you can see the Novak Djokovic fans, they’re in full voice,’ Jones said. ‘The chants are quite extraordinary.’<\/p>\n

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He then turned round to face them and pantomimed some sledging chants of his own: ‘Novak, he’s overrated,’ Jones sang. ‘Novak’s a has-been. Novak, kick him out.<\/p>\n

‘Boy, I’m glad they can’t hear me. Anyway, let’s get onto the tennis.’<\/p>\n

When Jones returned to work the next morning, Serbian press had already contacted Channel 9 seeking comment on the matter,\u00a0News Corp\u00a0reported.<\/p>\n

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Channel Nine and Australian Open bosses believed they had the Djokovic-Jones drama contained over the weekend<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Novak Djokovic is pictured refusing to be interviewed after his victory on Sunday night at the Australian Open<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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The broadcaster quickly moved to get an apology out.<\/p>\n

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‘Unfortunately, my ‘humour’ the previous evening was misinterpreted as an attack on Novak,’ Jones told SportKlub.<\/p>\n

‘That was certainly not the case. I joke with the Serbian fans throughout the tournament and this \u2014 at least I thought so \u2014 is a continuation of all that.<\/p>\n

‘If you watch our Morning Show, you would get an idea of how we work. At no point did I think to show disrespect to Novak and I apologise \u2014 there was certainly no intention to offend him.’<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, Tennis Australia was reportedly in ‘crisis management mode’ and had reached out to Djokovic\u2019s team and explained how Jones had apologised. They thought that was the end of the matter.<\/p>\n

Jones had even offered a face-to-face personal apology, but it wasn’t thought possible with the Serb superstar’s scheduling.<\/p>\n

Australian Open boss Craig Tiley, who is believed to be very close with Djokovic, didn’t speak directly with him.<\/p>\n

Organisers at the Grand Slam thought that the situation had been handled – and so did Channel 9.<\/p>\n

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Tennis Australia reached out to Djokovic\u2019s team and explained how Jones had apologised for his comments<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Channel Nine star Tony Jones pictured delivering a public apology on Monday morning<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

What a shock they got on Sunday night after Djokovic’s straight-sets win over Czech Jiri Lehecka when\u00a0s<\/a>aid he would refuse any interviews<\/span>\u00a0with the tournament’s host broadcaster Channel Nine until he received an apology.<\/p>\n

Jones made\u00a0an on-air apology on Monday to the 24-time Grand Slam winner<\/span>\u00a0during live Australian Open coverage.<\/p>\n

The Sydney Morning Herald\u00a0revealed on Tuesday additional security arrangements have now been put in place by Nine and tennis authorities.<\/p>\n

Djokovic is due to play Spanish star Carlos Alcaraz on Tuesday evening, and extra security is also being put in place for that match.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, the incident has seen Jones get slammed by some of the biggest names in tennis – and attract support from the world’s richest man, Elon Musk.<\/p>\n

The owner of Tesla and X re-tweeted a video Djokovic posted as he explained why he walked off when Nine commentator Jim Courier tried to interview him, with Musk writing: ‘It’s way better just to talk to the public directly than go through the negativity filter of legacy media.’<\/p>\n

Djokovic replied by writing ‘Indeed’ accompanied by the raising hands emoji.<\/p>\n

Former world No.1 Victoria Azarenka was one of several tennis greats to slam Jones.<\/p>\n

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Djokovic will take on Spanish star Carlos Alcaraz on Tuesday evening<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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