Serbian Davis Cup team captain Viktor Troicki says Tony Jones' comments about Novak Djokovic were pure mockery and he is calling on those in charge to never again allow the broadcaster to cover the Australian Open or tennis.
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If you watched the Serb's third-round match against Tomas Machac, you probably remember the former world No. 1 rejecting to conduct a traditional on-court interview.
Later, the record 24-time Grand Slam champion said he was protesting against Channel Nine's Jones over "making a mockery of me and my fans."
A few days earlier, the 69-year-old was standing in front of a group of Serbian supporters when he called Djokovic "overrated" on air and said that "Novak is a has-been."
After the incident, Jones apologized and insisted it was all a joke and Tennis Australia said in a statement that their record 10-time champion accepted the apology.
However, Troicki - who won the Davis Cup and the United Cup together with Djokovic - thinks what the host did was so bad that the only proper punishment is never again allowing the host to work at Melbourne Park.
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Troicki rips Jones: To mock an athlete during the tournament is unacceptable
There was the situation around channel nine, which I noticed as well. If I had hired that journalist (Tony Jones, ed.), I would have fired him straight away. He would never work in sports again, the former world No. 12 told Bolavip.
I think they are treating Novak worse and worse. It is surprising and disappointing to see the greatest player of all time experiencing so many bad things happening in Australia again. After Covid and what they did to him a few years ago, it has never been the same.
To mock an athlete during the tournament is unacceptable. I dont think an apology is enough. I think he should be banned for life from covering tennis."
Meanwhile, Djokovic returned to giving on-court interviews after beating Carlos Alcaraz in the Australian Open quarterfinal.
