Bombshell development casts Tony Jones’s Novak Djokovic outburst in a COMPLETELY new light with stunning claims made about Channel Nine’s role

Channel Nine set up the group of chanting Novak Djokovic fans that served as the backdrop to and inspiration for Tony Jones’s outburst at the Australian Open, according to bombshell claims from angry Serbian supporters living in Australia and a tennis great.

The veteran reporter was lashed by 24-time grand slam winner Novak Djokovic this week following comments he made from a live cross at Melbourne Park last Friday.

Speaking in front of a crowd of Serbian supporters who were singing and chanting in, Jones took the opportunity to mock the 10-time Australian Open winner.

‘Novak, he’s overrated … Novak’s a has-been. Novak, kick him out,’ Jones sang, while the Serbian fans remained unaware of his words until after the live cross. 

That promoted Djokovic to launch a media boycott of the host broadcaster until a public apology was issued, which Jones did on Monday.

Now both Australian tennis great Paul McNamee and Serbian Council of Australia co-founder Dr Nina Markovic Khaze have claimed the crowd was orchestrated by Channel Nine.

Jones mocked Djokovic and his supporters during the cross last Friday evening and later apologised on live TV

Serbian supporters claim they were set up the network after being asked to take part in the cross

‘Context is important. On Friday, supporters of Djokovic, many with Serbian flags, were enjoying themselves in Garden Square at the Australian Open,’ McNamee wrote in The Age.

‘According to a number at that gathering, they were asked to begin chanting for their man for filming purposes.

‘They duly complied, not knowing in the segment Jones would, in an attempt to be funny, begin his own chant: “Novak, he’s overrated, Novak’s a has-been, Novak, kick him out. I’m glad they can’t hear me”.

‘The last bit was clearly the most offensive bit, given the history. It was a stitch up from a senior presenter for the host broadcaster that backfired badly, clearly offensive to [not only] Djokovic supporters.

‘It opened a deep personal wound with the tournament’s greatest male champion.’

The Serbian Council wants Tony Jones sacked over the Djokovic comments and has lodged a complaint with the Human Rights Commission.

Council co-founder and board member Dr Markovic Khaze spoke on ABC radio and also claimed the Djokovic fans had been set up by Nine.

‘This was absolutely traumatic for a lot of our community members in Australia, they actually reached out to us,’ she said.

Former Aussie tennis star Paul McNamee believes the Serbian fans were set up by Channel Nine as well

The Serbian Council of Australia’s Dr Markovic Khaze wants Jones to be sacked and a broader apology issued to the Serbian-Australian community

‘I am going to quote one of the members who reached out to us. She said: “This is so bad, it feels we are back to the Covid era. Channel Nine is the official partner of the Australian Open and it is so disappointing”.

‘She said that she was at Rod Laver Arena when a cameraman encouraged all the fans to chant, and then all the comments came through.

‘She said it was so unprofessional and unaccepting as a fan to witness that and to be there.

‘Some of the fans that were there at that moment, they almost felt as if they were set up.’

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Channel Nine for comment. 

When pressed on why the comments amounted to vilification, Dr Markovic Khaze said the media attention over Djokovic’s deportation in 2022 led to discrimination against the Australian-Serbian community.

‘To the extent that children were singled out in some schools,’ she said.

‘Saying they come from a bad flock. Because teachers at the time were saying that Novak Djokovic comes from a bad flock.’

Djokovic admitted that he still feels trauma coming back to Australia ahead of this year’s grand slam.

Jones acknowledged in his apology that his comments may have inflamed those feelings.

‘If I could turn back time… the one thing where I overstepped the mark, and this is certainly what’s really sort of angered Novak Djokovic and his camp, is the last comment that I made in that back and forth with the crowd, ‘Kick him out’,’ Jones said.

‘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. That has angered Novak, which I completely understand now.’

While Jones has apologised to Djokovic, Dr Markovic said the Serbian Council wanted a broader apology delivered to the wider Serbian-Australian community.

‘This is a global issue, this is not one commentator saying whatever the hell they want,’ she said.

‘This is about a global media star who is deeply offended.

‘Channel Nine can do better, we as a society must do better.’