‘Having been mocked by Serbian fans, insulted me’: Novak Djokovic refuses on-court interview. See | Tennis news

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'Having been mocked by Serbian fans, insulted me': Novak Djokovic refuses on-court interview. Clock
Novak Djokovic (AP Photo)

NEW DELHI: 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic on Sunday refused to participate in the customary post-match TV interview. Australian Open after his win over Jiri Lehecka in straight sets.
The 37-year-old’s interviews came in protest at comments made by Tony Jones, who works for Channel 9the official broadcaster of the tournament in the host country.
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During an on-air performance at Melbourne Park, where a crowd of Djokovic’s supporters sang, Jones referred to the Serbian player as overrated and a has-been.
Although Djokovic Without naming Jones directly, he expressed his displeasure with the comments.
“A famous sports journalist who works for the official TV station, Channel 9 … made a mockery of Serbian fans and also made insulting and offensive comments to me,” Djokovic said, mentioning that he will continue to avoid talking to the network.

“I leave it to Channel 9 to handle this in the way they see fit. That’s all,” Djokovic said.
After defeating Jiri Lehecka in three sets at Rod Laver Arena and advancing to the quarter-finals, Djokovic was expected to speak to former player Jim Courier on television. Instead, he addressed the crowd directly, expressing his gratitude for their presence and support and promising to see them in the next round.

Later, during his press conference, Djokovic clarified that his decision not to do the interview was due to his displeasure with Jones and the broadcaster, not the Courier or the fans in the stadium.

He also mentioned that he had spoken to Craig Tiley, the CEO of Tennis Australia, about the issue.
“I just wanted to make sure he knows where I stand and the reasons behind it,” Djokovic said. “So I told him, ‘If you want to fine me for not giving an interview in court, that’s fine.’ I’ll accept it because I feel like this is something that needs to be done. That’s all there is to it.”