Australian TV sports presenter and journalist Tony Jones is seen on day nine of the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne on January 20, 2025. (Photo by Martin KEEP / AFP)
A leading TV presenter apologized on-air Monday to Novak Djokovic after mocking the 24-time Grand Slam winner and his Serbian fans at the Australian Open, saying it was meant to be banter.
The 37-year-old tennis great refused to do a routine on-court interview after beating Jiri Lehecka in three sets on Rod Laver Arena to make the quarter-finals on Sunday evening.
Article continues after this advertisementAfterward, he said it was in protest at Tony Jones, a top sports presenter with host broadcaster Channel Nine, who he accused of “insulting and offensive comments” towards him and Serbian fans.
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“The comments were made on the news on the Friday night, which I considered to be banter. I considered it to be humor, which is consistent with most things I do,” Jones said on Monday.
Article continues after this advertisement“Having said that, I was made aware on Saturday morning, from Tennis Australia via the Djokovic camp, that the Djokovic camp was not happy at all with those comments.
Article continues after this advertisement“As such I immediately contacted the Djokovic camp and issued and apology to them — 48 hours ago — for any disrespect that Novak felt, that I had caused.
Article continues after this advertisement“As I stand here now I can only stand by that apology to Novak.”
plinko slot READ: Australian Open: Djokovic marches into quarterfinal vs AlcarazThe veteran broadcaster was live at Melbourne Park on Friday when a large group of Djokovic fans holding Serbian flags began cheering in the background behind him.
Article continues after this advertisementJones responded by singing to them: “Novak, he’s overrated … Novak’s a has-been. Novak, kick him out.”
“I should also say the disrespect was extended, in many ways, to the Serbian fans,” he said in his apology.
“We have built up a nice rapport with the Serbian fans … there is banter, and I thought what I was doing was an extension of that banter. Quite clearly that has not been interpreted that way.
Bullion hit an all-time high of $2,704.89 in early Asian trade, up from its previous record of $2,688.83 touched on Thursday.
Ajay Banga spoke to Agence France-Presse at the development lender’s headquarters in Washington ahead of the Annual Meetings of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank Group, which begin on Monday, October 21.
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“I feel as though I’ve let down the Serbian fans. It has been an unfortunate situation.”cartel gaming
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