MELBOURNE: Australian broadcaster Tony Jones has apologized to Novak Djokovic and fans of the Serbian for comments he made on TV on Friday night that the 10-times Australian Open champion considered “insulting and offensive.”
Djokovic declined to do the customary on-court interview after his fourth-round victory over Jiri Lehecka on Sunday pending a public apology from Jones and Australian broadcast rights holders Channel Nine.
Jones had mocked Djokovic and the Serbian fans who had gathered outside Channel Nine’s broadcast booth at Melbourne Park on Friday, saying the 24-times Grand Slam champion was “over-rated” and a “has been.”
In an interview on the channel on Monday, Jones said he thought the comments had been “banter” and he had immediately made a private apology to the “Djokovic camp” once he realized they had not been taken in humor.
“I can stand by that apology to Novak,” he said. “I should also say the disrespect was extended, in many ways, to the Serbian fans.
“We have built up a nice rapport with the Serbian fans ... and there was banter, and I thought what I was doing was an extension of that banter. Quite clearly that has not been interpreted that way.
“I feel as though I’ve let down the Serbian fans.”
Jones said the one comment he particularly regretted was “kick him out,” which he accepted could only be construed as a reference to Djokovic’s deportation from Australia in a row over his COVID vaccination status in early 2022.
“That has angered Novak which I completely understand now,” Jones said.
“It has been an unfortunate situation, it has been one of personal angst for Novak, it’s quite clearly personal angst for me as well.”
Tennis Australia said Djokovic, who takes on world number three Carlos Alcaraz in the quarter-finals on Tuesday, wanted to move on from the issue.
“Novak acknowledges the apology has been given in public as requested, and is now moving on and focusing on his next match,” it added in a statement.
Australian broadcaster apologizes to Djokovic, Serbian fans
https://arab.news/yfsaj
Australian broadcaster apologizes to Djokovic, Serbian fans
- 24-time Grand Slam champion declined to do the customary on-court interview after his fourth-round victory over Jiri Lehecka on Sunday
Mbappe suffers knee sprain in blow for Real Madrid
Madrid: Real Madrid on Wednesday said that Kylian Mbappe had suffered a knee sprain, delivering a blow to their bid to reel in Liga leaders Barcelona.
“After the tests carried out today on our player Kylian Mbappe by Real Madrid’s medical services, he was diagnosed with a sprain in his left knee. Awaiting evolution,” the club said in a statement.
Real Madrid did not indicate how long the 27-year-old striker would be out for, but a source close to the France superstar told AFP that he would be absent for at least three weeks.
Mbappe, the leading scorer in La Liga this season with 18 goals, is therefore a major doubt for Sunday’s league match at home to Real Betis, Los Merengues’ first after the winter break as they trail Barcelona by four points.
He could also miss the Spanish Super Cup semifinal against arch-rivals Atletico Madrid in Saudi Arabia on January 8, as well as a league fixture against Levante and a Champions League clash with former club Monaco.
Real did not say when or how Mbappe was injured, however he had trained with the team on Tuesday.
He underwent an MRI scan on Wednesday.
Mbappe has enjoyed a stellar 2025, equalling Cristiano Ronaldo’s club record 59 goals in a calendar year, and has at times carried Real Madrid, relieving some pressure on under-fire coach Xabi Alonso.
He has scored 73 goals in 83 matches for Real since making a free transfer move to the Spanish giants from Paris Saint-Germain 18 months ago.
He finished top scorer in La Liga last season with 31 goals — four more than Barcelona’s Robert Lewandowski — and is currently seven goals clear of the next best this season, Barca’s Ferran Torres.
His absence adds to those of Real defenders Daniel Carvajal, Eder Militao, Trent Alexander-Arnold, midfielder Federico Valverde, and forward Brahim Diaz who is at the Africa Cup of Nations with Morocco.
