“That has angered Novak, which I completely understand now. So look, it has been an unfortunate situation. It’s been one of personal angst for Novak. It’s quite clearly personal angst for me as well.”
Nine released a statement following Tony Jones’ on-air apology, saying the tournament broadcaster looked forward to showcasing his Australian Open campaign at Melbourne Park.
“Nine would like to apologise to Novak Djokovic for any offence caused from comments made during a recent live cross. No harm was intended towards Novak or his fans,” it read.
However, the dual apologies did nothing to appease the outraged Serbian community with the Serbian Council of Australia lodging a complaint with the Australian Human Rights Commission over the incident.
The council said Jones had talked to Australian-Serbian fans before a live broadcast and asked them to begin chanting and cheering before making comments about them that were “offensive, racist and only serve to incite further discrimination of Australian-Serbs”.
It called for Jones to be dismissed over the controversy.
“For Australian-Serbs, the words ‘kick him out’ is akin to saying ‘kick the Serbs out of Australia’ because there is strong evidence of feelings of exclusion due to media reporting about Australian Serbs in the past.”
Serbia’s ambassador to Australia “expressed his profound concern” to Nine, saying it was in “clear breach” of journalistic ethics and that sanctions may be warranted.
Ambassador Rade Stefanovic said he contacted Nine about Jones’ comments, in particular the remark: “Novak, kick him out”.
“That event [his 2022 deportation] is still very much present in the minds of the Serbian people worldwide, including within more than a hundred thousand Australians of Serbian origin, who were also collectively victimized at the time,” Stefanovic said in an email on Monday morning.
Stefanovic said Jones’ comments were “clearly unprofessional” and “can hardly be called ‘a joke’ and ‘good-natured banter with the Serbian fans’.”
“The Embassy of the Republic of Serbia considers that Mr Jones’ comments are totally inappropriate and disrespectful towards – we will proudly say – the greatest tennis player of all [time] and the record-holding ten times winner of the Australian Open tennis tournament in men’s singles,” he said in a statement.
“There has never been in the history [sic] the case that [an] Australian athlete has been insulted and disrespected in such a way by the media or any public official in Serbia.”
Serbian tabloids reported that Jones, whom they describe as having insulted Djokovic and Serbs, had a history of “attacking” Djokovic.
Several websites have revived Jones’ comments from 2022, when, according to a story from nine.com.au at the time, Jones said:
“There is certainly sentiment running high for Novak Djokovic which certainly wasn’t the case probably two weeks ago when he was very much the villain.”
The apologies came as Djokovic’s on-court interview boycott sparked discussion around the world, including from Elon Musk who was in favour of Djokovic’s decision to circumvent the media organisation.
Meanwhile, tennis names including former world number one Boris Becker, Australian player Nick Kyrgios, Jannik Sinner’s coach Darren Cahill and Belarusian tennis star Victoria Azarenka all spoke out in support of Djokovic.
Azarenka questioned “the audacity” of calling Djokovic overrated, while Becker questioned whether Jones should “still have a job for the rest of the tournament?”
Even Prime Minister Anthony Albanese weighed in, calling for more “kindness and generosity”.
Asked by ABC Sydney host Hamish Macdonald whether Djokovic deserved an apology from Nine, Albanese said: “I think Novak Djokovic is certainly a fine tennis player, there’s no doubt about that.”
“And I do think there is a place for more respect. I’ve seen the comments made by [Jones]. We need more kindness and generosity and respect across the board. That’s what people are looking for,” he said.
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