Australian firebrand Nick Kyrgios took aim at Tony Jones after the veteran broadcaster mocked Serbian tennis fans and branded one of the greatest players of all time a “passover”.
On Saturday, Jones mocked Novak Djokovic in front of a large crowd of fans who had gathered behind him while doing the sports segment for the evening news.
A person claiming to be part of the group posted online that Nine Network staff had asked them to sing in support of Djokovic while, unbeknownst to them, Jones was carrying him live, out of earshot of the group. crew.
Jones introduced the segment leading up to Djokovic's third-round match against Tomas Machac at Melbourne's Rod Laver Arena and commented on the crowd behind him and how they were cheering on the world number seven.
“Welcome back to Melbourne Park, where you can see Novak Djokovic fans in full voice… the chants are quite extraordinary,” he began.
Jones then turned around and launched his own chant in opposition.
Vetern Channel 9 news anchor Tony Jones (pictured) came under fire after mocking Novak Djokovic in front of legions of the player's fans on Friday.
Nick Kyrgios wasn't happy to see Novak Djokovic 'disrespected'
“Novak is overrated… Novak is a former… Novak kicked him out,” he said while looking at the enthusiastic crowd.
“I'm glad you can't hear me.”
Many tennis fans failed to see the funny side of the incident and now Kyrgios has added his name to that list.
Kyrgios shared a video of the music video on his Instagram Stories on Sunday and wrote: “Coming from this clown, this guy couldn't run through a park.”
Australian tennis great Paul McNamee took personal offense at Mr Jones' offhand comments.
“Tony, I'm surprised, especially since you work for the host station, that you'd send a bunch of Australians (of European descent) to have a good time celebrating their 10-time AO champion…trying to be funny mate “Mr. McNamee wrote.
AFL star Jack Ginnivan, who plays for Hawthorn, also saw nothing funny in this.
'How can this be on television? Disrespecting the GOAT is shameful,' he wrote.
Kyrgios shared a video of the music video on his Instagram stories on Sunday
A woman who claimed to be part of the crowd said Nine had asked them to sing and then “mocked” them on air.
While some social media users defended Mr. Jones by pointing out that he was simply “being sarcastic,” most of them did not let him off the hook.
'Is the guy with the most Slams and the most Masters and the most ATP finals and the most #1 weeks and the most #1 year-end weeks overrated?' one wrote.
“I have to say, this is one of the strangest things Tony Jones has ever done on camera. I know it's a 'joke,' but to have such disrespect from the host station is… a little questionable,” added another.
“What an absolute disgrace on TJ's part, totally unacceptable to disrespect a champion,” said a third.
'This was disgusting. Regardless of whether you like Novak or not. He is a champion of the game and a ten-time winner of the Australian Open. Show respect to a living great player of the game. “Tony Jones should offer a public apology to Novak and all tennis fans,” wrote a fourth.
It's not the first awkward moment on air for Jones, who was infamously shamed twice by WAG footballer Bec Judd.
In a clip that went viral in 2013, Jones asked Judd, who was then a weather presenter in Melbourne, during a news broadcast if she wanted to attend a barbecue at her house.
“No, thank you,” she replied.
Jones caused a wave of fury online among tennis fans who said he had “disrespected” the tennis great.
Three years later, in 2016, when Judd was on maternity leave, Jones attempted to kiss her on the cheek during her farewell show, which she avoided by backing away.
The clip had a million views on YouTube alone.
'I've put up with that shit for years and it's not my fault!' Jones told the Footy Show panel in 2020.
'Our news director, Hugh Nylon, here at Channel 9 in Melbourne. He didn't arrange the flowers. I was supposed to give Bec flowers.
He said he then tried to leave the performance, but the Nine News manager told him to stay and perform for the broadcast.
He said that when he went to say goodbye to Ms. Judd on live television empty-handed, he went to kiss her to “wish her luck.”