Tony Jones, an Australian sports broadcaster on Channel 9, made joking on‑air remarks about Novak Djokovic and his Serbian fans during the 2025 Australian Open that many viewers and Djokovic’s camp saw as disrespectful.

What Tony Jones said about Djokovic

Reports and clips from the coverage describe Jones riffing on Djokovic with lines along the theme of him being “overrated,” a “has‑been,” and even saying “Novak, kick him out” while referring to Serbian fans in the crowd. The tone was framed as light “banter” during a live segment, but the wording clearly echoed Djokovic’s highly contentious 2022 deportation from Australia, which made it come across as more than harmless teasing.

Jones also mocked a group of Djokovic supporters while on air, chanting and joking in a way that was perceived as ridiculing both the player and his fans rather than just engaging in playful crowd commentary. The segment quickly drew criticism online and in tennis circles, with many calling it disrespectful and unprofessional for a lead broadcaster at a Grand Slam event.

Djokovic’s reaction

Djokovic responded by refusing to do his usual post‑match on‑court interview after a fourth‑round win, explaining in a later video that he felt a “prominent sports journalist” linked to the tournament broadcaster had mocked Serbian fans and made offensive remarks about him. He made it clear he would not speak to that network again until there was a public apology from Jones and Channel 9, effectively turning a routine media spot into a statement on respect and treatment in the press.

The stance sparked a wave of discussion in tennis forums and social media, with some users seeing Djokovic as right to push back against what they viewed as “punching down” disguised as humor, while others felt he was being overly sensitive and media‑hostile. The incident also fed into ongoing narratives around Djokovic’s sometimes tense relationship with certain parts of the Australian public and media, especially post‑deportation.

Jones’s apology and fallout

After learning through Tennis Australia that Djokovic’s camp was unhappy, Jones contacted them privately and then issued a public on‑air apology, saying the comments were intended as “banter” and “humor” consistent with his usual style. On Channel 9’s breakfast show he emphasized that he regretted “overstepping the mark” and apologized “for any disrespect Novak felt I had caused,” stressing that he stood by that apology.

Many viewers and forum users criticized the wording as a classic “sorry if you were offended” non‑apology, arguing that phrasing it around Djokovic’s feelings rather than the remarks themselves made it sound half‑hearted. Others, especially some Australian commenters, countered that this kind of edgy banter is common in local sports TV and that the real issue was that the joke landed poorly on an international stage and with a player who doesn’t share that rapport.

Channel 9 and Jones nonetheless faced enough backlash that his role around later major events came under scrutiny, with reports noting that the network began to distance him from some high‑profile tennis duties after the controversy. The broader debate has centered on where to draw the line between personality‑driven sports “banter” and professional respect, especially when past flashpoints like Djokovic’s deportation are used as punchlines.

TL;DR: Tony Jones joked on air that Novak Djokovic was “overrated,” a “has‑been,” and said “Novak, kick him out,” in a way many felt mocked Djokovic and his Serbian fans and referenced his past deportation. Djokovic reacted by boycotting a post‑match interview until he received an apology, leading Jones to issue a public but widely debated “banter gone too far” apology and sparking an ongoing discussion about respect versus humor in sports broadcasting.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.