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Tag: Nines
Channel Nine’s Tony Jones apologises to Novak Djokovic over ‘banter’ that led to coverage boycott | Australian Open 2025
Tony Jones has issued an apology to Novak Djokovic after comments the veteran broadcaster made at the Australian Open led to the Serbian tennis star boycotting Channel Nine’s coverage of the tournament.
Djokovic opted not to give a customary on-court interview after beating Jiri Lehecka on Sunday to move into this year’s quarter-finals, before revealing he would not speak to the host broadcaster until he received an apology.
Jones, according to the 10-time Australian Open champion, “made a mockery of Serbian fans and also made insulting and offensive comments towards me” during a segment on Friday evening’s news show.
The 63-year-old said on Monday he had reached out to Djokovic and his camp on Saturday to apologise for making the comments, which he considered to be “banter”.
“I considered it to be humour, which is consistent with most things I do,” Jones said before play started at Melbourne Park on day nine of the year’s first grand slam. “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.”
Jones caused an outcry when he sledged a group of animated Serbian supporters in a live broadcast, singing back at them, “Novak, he’s overrated. Novak’s a has-been. Novak, kick him out.”
He acknowledged the impact his comments had on Serbian fans and said he “overstepped the mark” with that last remark.
“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],” he said. “Now that 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.”
Jones said he had offered to meet with the Djokovic camp to discuss the incident and expects to do so in the next 24 hours.
Channel Nine also issued an apology on Monday.
“Nine would like to apologise to Novak Djokovic for any offence caused from comments made during a recent live cross. No harm was intended towards Novak or his fans. We look forward to further showcasing his Australian Open campaign at Melbourne Park.”
The issue threatens to overshadow Djokovic’s pursuit of an 11th Australian Open title, with video of the broadcast quickly going viral.
A formal complaint has been lodged with the Human Rights Commission by the Serbian Council of Australia, which also called for Jones to be stood down in a statement released on Monday.
Tennis great Boris Becker called Jones’s behaviour “very disturbing”, while two-time Australian Open champion Viktoria Azarenka said: “The audacity to call Novak Djokovic overrated by a reporter is just insane. The guy literally completed tennis by winning everything you can in our sport!”
The Australian prime minister, Anthony Albanese, was asked to weigh into the controversy on Monday and he called for more respect.
“I’ll let that go through to the keeper, that’s a matter between them,” Albanese said. “But I think Novak Djokovic is certainly a fine tennis player, there’s no question about that, and I do think that there is a place for more respect.
“I’ve seen the comments that were made by the broadcaster … We need more kindness and generosity and respect just across the board. I think that’s what people are looking for.”
Tennis Australia said Djokovic “acknowledges the apology has been given in public as requested, and is now moving on”, while Jones said he hoped the focus could now shift back to the tennis, with the Serb to next meet third seed Carlos Alcaraz in the match of the tournament so far on Tuesday night.
Channel Nine’s veteran sports presenter, Tony Jones, has issued a public apology to tennis superstar Novak Djokovic after a controversial on-air comment that led to Djokovic boycotting the network’s coverage of the Australian Open 2025.During a live broadcast, Jones made a comment about Djokovic’s recent vaccine controversy, sparking outrage among fans and prompting Djokovic to announce that he would no longer be granting interviews or access to Channel Nine for the duration of the tournament.
In a heartfelt statement, Jones expressed regret for his words and acknowledged that they were inappropriate and disrespectful. He emphasised that he never intended to offend Djokovic or his fans and apologised for any hurt or harm caused.
Djokovic has since accepted Jones’s apology and agreed to resume interviews with Channel Nine. The tennis star also commended Jones for taking responsibility for his actions and showing genuine remorse.
The incident serves as a reminder of the power of words and the importance of respectful and responsible journalism in the sports industry. As the Australian Open 2025 continues, both parties have expressed a commitment to moving forward positively and focusing on the tournament itself.
Tags:
Channel Nine, Tony Jones, Novak Djokovic, apology, banter, coverage boycott, Australian Open 2025, tennis news, sports controversy, media apology
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How to Achieve Five Nines Uptime in Your Data Center
Achieving five nines uptime in your data center is a lofty goal, but with the right strategies and technologies in place, it is definitely achievable. Five nines uptime, also known as 99.999% uptime, means that your data center is operational and available for use 99.999% of the time. This level of uptime is crucial for businesses that rely on their data centers to store and process critical data and applications.So, how can you achieve five nines uptime in your data center? Here are some key tips to help you reach this goal:
1. Invest in high-quality equipment: The first step to achieving five nines uptime is to invest in high-quality equipment for your data center. This includes servers, storage devices, networking equipment, and power infrastructure. By using reliable and robust hardware, you can minimize the risk of equipment failures that could cause downtime.
2. Implement redundancy: Redundancy is essential for ensuring high availability in your data center. This means having backups for critical components such as power supplies, networking equipment, and storage devices. By implementing redundant systems, you can ensure that your data center can continue operating even if one component fails.
3. Regularly maintain and monitor your equipment: Regular maintenance and monitoring are key to preventing downtime in your data center. Make sure to perform routine checks and inspections on your equipment to identify any potential issues before they escalate into problems. Additionally, use monitoring tools to keep track of the performance and health of your data center infrastructure.
4. Implement a robust backup and disaster recovery plan: In the event of a catastrophic failure or natural disaster, having a solid backup and disaster recovery plan in place is crucial for minimizing downtime. Make sure to regularly back up your data and test your disaster recovery procedures to ensure they are effective when needed.
5. Use virtualization and cloud technologies: Virtualization and cloud technologies can help improve the availability and reliability of your data center. By virtualizing your servers and storage, you can achieve greater flexibility and scalability, as well as improved fault tolerance. Additionally, cloud technologies can provide additional redundancy and resilience for your data center infrastructure.
6. Implement best practices for security: Security breaches can also lead to downtime in your data center. Make sure to implement best practices for data security, such as using firewalls, encryption, and access controls to protect your data from unauthorized access and cyber threats.
By following these tips and implementing the right strategies and technologies, you can achieve five nines uptime in your data center. This level of uptime will help ensure that your data center is always available and operational, enabling your business to run smoothly and efficiently.
