Nine officially apologises to Serbian Council of Australia for Jones-Djokovic blunder

Nearly six months after Tony Jones’ infamous comments about Novak Djokovic, the Nine Network has issued a second apology for the on-screen gaffe that ignited the Australian Open.

Almost six months after an infamous live television joke by host Tony Jones offended tennis legend Novak Djokovic, the Nine Network has been forced to make an embarrassing second official apology for the Australian Open gaffe.

Jones created worldwide headlines with his live comments during the 6pm news, when he reacted to chanting Serbian fans with comments about the 24-times grand slam champion.

“Novak’s overrated. Novak’s a has‑been. Novak, kick him out,” Jones quipped, sparking backlash with his comment interpreted as a reference to Djokovic’s 2021 deportation.

Djokovic refused to participate in the customary post-match on-court interview with the host broadcaster, such was his anger towards the comments.

Jones’ gaffe lit up the 2025 Australian Open. (Photo by Martin KEEP / AFP)

Jones apologised on the Today Show after being made aware of Djokovic’s rage, while the Nine Network also released an official apology statement at the same time.

But that clearly wasn’t the end of the matter.

The Nine Network left Jones at home in Australia for the broadcast of the Wimbledon championships this past fortnight from London.

And then late on Friday afternoon, another apology was made by Nine and published on the broadcaster’s website.

“On 17 January 2025, 9News Melbourne aired a live broadcast as part of its 6pm bulletin that referred to Novak Djokovic’s attendance at the Australian Open (Broadcast).

“Nine sincerely apologises to the Serbian Council of Australia, its members and the wider Serbian-Australian community for any offence caused as a result of the Broadcast.

“No harm, nor any offence, was intended to the Serbian-Australian community.

“Nine thanks, and is pleased to have cooperatively worked with, the Serbian Council of Australia to address and resolve their concerns in respect of the Broadcast.”

Jones had previously described his gaffe as an attempt at humour, but given the fallout has now continued six months later it is clear much more has been going on behind the scenes.

“I considered it to be humour, which is consistent with most things I do,” Jones said in his apology before play at the AO last January.

“Having said that, I was made aware on the Saturday morning from Tennis Australia via the Djokovic camp that the Djokovic camp was not happy at all with those comments.

“As such, I immediately contacted the Djokovic camp and issued an apology to them. And as I stand here now, I stand by that apology to Novak … I do apologise if he felt that I disrespected him.

“Now I can stand here and put whatever spin I want on that, but it can only be interpreted as a throwback to the Covid years when he was kicked out [of Australia].

“Now that has angered Novak, which I completely understand now.

“They [the Serbian fans] come here with the flags and they provide so much colour and so much passion and there was banter, so I thought what I was doing was an extension of that banter. Quite clearly that hasn’t been interpreted that way. So I do feel as though I’ve let down the Serbian fans.”

Originally published as Nine officially apologises to Serbian Council of Australia for Jones-Djokovic blunder