The Serbian Novak Djokovic he vented his anger by refusing to be interviewed in his round of 16 win over the Czech Jiri Lehecka. He grabbed the microphone from the American Jim Courier, former Grand Slam champion and for many years a court interviewer in various tournaments, to thank the public for their presence, but there are no common questions for the best match.
We had to wait a few minutes to understand Djokovic’s strange behavior, his boycott. “Days ago the famous journalist working for the official television, here in Australia Channel 9, was mocked by a group of Serbian fans, and also made insulting and hurtful comments to me. And since then has made no public apology. There is none on Channel 9. Therefore, as it is the official channel, I have chosen not to give interviews on Channel 9”, with which he works Jim Courierall field interviewers.
The journalist he refers to is Tony Joneswho publicly apologized to the player and fans. With Djokovic privately, not directly to him but giving explanations to members of his team.
“We built a good relationship with the Serbian fans, and there was banter, and I thought what I was doing was an extension of that banter. Obviously it wasn’t interpreted that way,” Jones said.
He noted that he especially regrets the expression “throw him out,” which could be understood as a reference to Djokovic’s expulsion from the country in 2022, during the Covid pandemic. “Novak is overrated, he’s passé. Throw him out,” he commented, addressing a group of Serbian fans.
“That upset Novak, something I now understand. It was an unfortunate situation, a situation of personal suffering for Novak, and it was also obviously a personal suffering for me,” asserted the journalist
There was also an official statement from Australian Open to close the topic: “Novak understands that the apology has been public, as he requested, and is now focused on moving forward and concentrating on his next fight.” On Tuesday, quarterfinals against Carlos Alcaraz, around 11 am Spanish peninsular time.
Source: La Verdad
I’m Robert Maynard, and I am a passionate journalist with experience in sports writing. For the last few years, I have been writing for Today Times Live. My main focus has been on sports-related stories and features. With my strong background in journalism and extensive knowledge of the industry, I am able to provide readers with well-crafted pieces that are both informative and engaging.
