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A Channel 9 source has told Yahoo Sport Australia that Novak Djokovic will commit to a post-match on-court interview with the TV network should he overpower Carlos Alcaraz in Tuesday night’s quarter-final at the Australian Open. It’s understood the 24-time grand slam winner has buried the hatchet with Channel 9 after a well-publicised falling out with the tournament broadcaster and will field questions from court-side interviewer Jim Courier if he beats Alcaraz.
The 37-year-old refused to be interviewed on court after winning his fourth-round match, angered by comments from Channel 9 host Tony Jones which Djokovic found offensive to the Serbian community. It’s believed the Djokovic camp has since accepted Jones’ apology and will now let the matter rest.
A source involved with Channel 9’s coverage told Yahoo Sport Australia: “We’ve been led to believe it will be business as usual should Novak be required for interview.”
News of Djokovic’s change of stance comes on the back of reports he will escape a fine for failing to engage with Courier on Sunday night. It’s believed Tennis Australia will take no action in a move that is sure to come in for heavy scrutiny amid concerns it sets a precedent.
Djokovic’s on-court boycott caught Courier by surprise but the American took no offence to the snub. “I certainly didn’t expect Novak to look at me with a quizzical look like, ‘Why are you out here?’” Courier told Tennis Channel Live. “I think he thought that we should have known that he wasn’t going to do that. I had no inside information.
“There was no problem on the court, but once he said he didn’t want to do the interview, that’s fine. We had a discussion in the hallway (with his management) and they wanted to make sure they knew that I knew that it wasn’t anything personal towards me (and) I certainly knew that.”
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But Courier did remind Djokovic’s entourage of the lost opportunity. “I said ‘look, you’re not just speaking to Channel 9 – I’m not out here representing Channel 9, I’m representing Tennis Australia – and this is an interview that goes out to the world. And it’s a chance for all these players, not just Novak, to communicate directly to their fans, and I hope that they’ll realise that there’s more opportunity for good there than making a point.”
Courier added: “While this is not a super great thing for the tournament, I think for Novak it might turn out to be a net positive because he is definitely motivated in a big way for lots of reasons.”
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After weeks of speculation and controversy, Novak Djokovic has decided to end his boycott of Channel 9 following Tennis Australia’s decision on his punishment for his actions during the Australian Open.
The world No. 1 was initially banned from speaking to Channel 9 after he publicly criticized the network for their coverage of the Australian Open and their treatment of players during quarantine. However, Djokovic has now decided to put the feud behind him and resume speaking to the network.
Tennis Australia has also made a decision on Djokovic’s punishment for his breach of quarantine rules, which saw him organize a players’ letter demanding eased restrictions. While the specifics of the punishment have not been revealed, it seems that Djokovic is willing to move on and focus on his upcoming tournaments.
Fans and pundits alike will be eager to see how Djokovic performs on the court following this controversy, as he continues his quest for more Grand Slam titles and further solidify his place as one of the greatest tennis players of all time.
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Novak Djokovic, Channel 9, Tennis Australia, boycott, punishment, decision, tennis player, sports news, Australian Open, controversy, player behavior
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