Australian Open Commentator Apologizes to Novak Djokovic
The Facts
Tony Jones, a veteran commentator for Australia's Channel 9, issued an apology on Monday to the 10-time Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic and to Serbian fans for any offense caused by controversial comments made live on air.
This comes after Djokovic boycotted the customary post-match on-court interview at the Australian Open with the official broadcaster Channel 9 after defeating Jiri Lehecka on Sunday.
The Spin
Narrative A
While these public apologies likely end this issue, their hollow content reveals that neither Tony Jones nor Channel 9 conceded that the Friday comments were offensive toward Djokovic and his fans. Perhaps even more shameful is that Jones claimed he had privately apologized before the boycott.
Narrative B
Djokovic is one of the greatest tennis players ever. So, when he's called overrated, a has-been, and someone who must be kicked out, it's clearly just banter — albeit perhaps in bad taste. Had Djokovic simply laughed off the joke, it likely wouldn't have garnered much attention. Instead, his overreaction turned it into a bigger story than it needed to be.
