Channel Nine’s Tony Jones has once again found himself at the center of public outrage, this time for defeating Serbian superstar Novak Djokovic and his followers at the Australian Open, and it’s a position he has found himself in time and time again. again during his controversial career.
The veteran sports reporter, 63, has been at Nine News Melbourne since the mid-1980s, covering the AFL, cricket, tennis and the Olympics, and making headlines for all the wrong reasons.
On Sunday night, Djokovic launched a dramatic boycott of on-court media functions in Melbourne until he received an apology from Channel Nine, the host broadcaster.
The 24-time Grand Slam champion believes journalist Jones “mocked” Serbian spectators at the tournament and described his comments as “insulting and offensive.”
On Friday, Jones was performing in front of a group of chanting Djokovic fans at Melbourne Park when he told viewers: “Welcome back to Melbourne Park, where you can see the Novak Djokovic fans, they are in full voice.” The chants are quite extraordinary.”
Then he turned to them and pantomimed some of his own sleigh songs.
The veteran Channel Nine sports presenter angered tennis champion Novak Djokovic with comments he made to his fans at the Australian Open.

Djokovic launched a boycott of Channel Nine’s media engagements and demanded a public apology from Jones
“Novak, he’s overrated,” Jones sang. ‘Novak is a past. Novak, kick him out. Wow, I’m glad you can’t hear me. Anyway, let’s move on to tennis.
On Monday morning, Jones formally apologized to the Serbian star and his fans.
It’s not the first time the veteran reporter has found himself in trouble, with perhaps his most well-known incident being when he attempted to kiss weather presenter Rebecca Judd on live television.
The awkward moment with Judd occurred on Nine News Melbourne in August 2016, when Tony tried to kiss her on the cheek before she went on maternity leave.
‘Good luck, Bec!’ he said, before bowing. At that moment, the WAG instinctively pulled away and screamed, before bursting into a fit of laughter.
Realizing that he had just been rejected on camera, Tony crossed his arms and grumbled, “Okay, this is going well,” as his face turned red.
The incident was revisited when Judd commented on the incident in 2024, saying that Jones was “afraid of him”, to which Jones later responded that he was “absolutely” afraid of him.
Jones was criticized on social media in 2019 for his ‘condescending’ chat with Naomi Osaka after she defeated Petra Kvitova in the Australian Open women’s singles final.

Jones apologized to the Serbian star and his fans on Monday morning (pictured)

Jones was at the center of one of the most embarrassing moments on Australian television when he tried to kiss Rebecca Judd on the cheek during a news bulletin in 2016 (pictured).

Jones was also criticized for an awkward post-victory interview with Naomi Osaka after her singles victory at the Australian Open in 2019.
The interview got off to an awkward start when Jones joked that he was “not sure how you got it here” after Naomi brought the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup to the Channel Nine set.
When Naomi was apparently taken aback by the comment and smiled, Tony commented: “There’s the smile.”
While some fans found that comment condescending, others took issue with how he addressed his heritage.
“Your grandparents returned to Japan and you left Japan when you were three years old and you still consider yourself a Japanese player,” he said.
“It took a while for your grandparents to get you and your sisters to want to play tennis and they finally joined in.”
In 2023, fans complained that Jones was turning Nine’s coverage of the Open into an episode of the Footy Show with attempts at humor that included treating Australian great and co-host Todd Woodbridge as a ‘punching bag’, showing the star Australian Olivia Gardecki fake texts her mentor Ash Barty and mocking co-host Dylan Allcott’s haircut.
In 2020, Jones made headlines again for all the wrong reasons for an awkward live television moment with AFL great Steve Johnson.

Nina Kennedy was being interviewed by Nine’s Tony Jones (pictured) when she signed off with “Thank you, Chompers” – a nickname the Footy Show presenter hates.

Jones has found himself in trouble for his comments on many occasions throughout his career.
Jones later apologized for referring to the football star as ‘Stewey Dew’ and explained that he was ‘high to the eyeballs’ because he was suffering from an infected tooth.
At last year’s Olympics, Australian golden girl Nina Kennedy hit Jones with a hilarious comment that surely left him fuming.
After telling him she felt “very calm” during her tense battle for the top spot on the podium with American Katie Moon, she concluded the interview with a broad smile and signed off with “Thank you, Chompers.”
Jones is known as ‘Chompers’ because of his striking teeth, which look perfect after having some work done more than 10 years ago.
The Sunday Footy Show presenter is known in AFL circles for hating the nickname, and one incident shows he’s not a fan.
Football presenter James Brayshaw said the nickname first appeared in the Teddy Whitten Legends AFL game in 2009, when football great and fellow commentator Garry Lyon commented on how white Jones’ teeth were suddenly.
Last week, Jones spoke witheringly about American Danielle Collins’ behavior during the Australian Open, labeling her a “brat.”
But Collins, who responded quickly, took a screenshot of Jones’ comments and posted them to her Instagram Story along with a sarcastic caption.
Referring to the ‘brat summer’ aesthetic that became popular after the release of Charli

Jones has offered to meet Novak Djokovic to apologize face to face
After his loss on Saturday night, Collins spoke more about Jones in his press conference.
‘I love this old man, Tony Jones… I love how he called me a brat. “It’s so Gen Z and Millennial right now with Charli XCX,” he said.
‘I really want him to do the dance. He has to do it. I really want to have a face to face with him, and we have to do the dance.
Speaking on Nine’s The Morning Serve on Sunday morning, Jones accepted the challenge – but only if Collins takes it up with him.
“The challenge is out there, how can I say no?” he said.