“It’s way better just to talk to the public directly than go through the negativity filter of legacy media,” Musk posted on X, tagging Djokovic’s account.
Djokovic replied to Musk by writing “Indeed”, accompanied by the raising hands emoji.
The post came shortly after Djokovic boycotted an interview following his fourth-round victory over Jiri Lehecka in the Australian Open on Jan. 19.
Djokovic quit the interview with Channel 9 following an incident involving reporter Tony Jones, who mocked Serbian fans’ chants outside the court. Jones performed a parody of the chant, singing lines such as “Novak, he’s overrated. Novak’s a has-been. Novak, kick him out,” referencing Djokovic’s deportation from Australia in 2022 for refusing to get Covid-19 vaccination.
Novak Djokovic thanked the Australian spectators and left after his victory over Jiri Lehecka at Rod Laver Stadium, Melbourne on Jan. 19, 2025. Photo by Reuters |
Facing backlash from Djokovic and the public, Channel 9 and Jones issued a public apology on Monday. Djokovic has since said he would move on from the incident and participate in future interviews. However, calls for Jones’s dismissal have grown, with tennis stars criticizing his actions.
Australian player Nick Kyrgios labeled Jones a “clown” and questioned why he had not been fired. Former world number one Victoria Azarenka also condemned Jones, saying his remarks were disrespectful to a player who has achieved everything in tennis, Daily Mail reported.
Tennis legend Boris Becker, Djokovic’s former coach, wrote on X: “That’s actually very disturbing behavior from a TV broadcaster who works for Channel 9… does he still have a job for the rest of the tournament?”
Former world number four James Blake told ESPN that Jones’s actions warranted an earlier apology and labeled the behavior as “inappropriate”.
Darren Cahill, coach of world number one Jannik Sinner, noted Jones’s history as a satirical reporter but admitted the attempt at humor was not it.
“He’s been in the industry for years and years. I’m sure Tony was trying to be funny but it was inappropriate and I don’t blame Novak for taking offense to that,” Cahill said.
Channel 9, part of Australia’s Nine Network, is one of the country’s largest commercial television networks and holds exclusive broadcasting rights to the 2025 Australian Open, including qualifiers and junior tournaments. The network has recruited prominent commentators such as John McEnroe, Jim Courier, Lleyton Hewitt and Jelena Dokic.
Djokovic will face Carlos Alcaraz in the men’s singles quarter-final on Tuesday. This marks the 61st time Djokovic has reached a Grand Slam quarter-final, extending his all-time record.
As of January 2025, Musk is the wealthiest individual in the world, with Forbes estimating his net worth at US$433.9 billion.
Comments are closed.