Tennis legend Novak Djokovic has received advice from tech magnate Elon Musk to communicate “directly” with the public after he refused a post-match interview during the 2025 Australian Open with Channel 9, following offensive remarks made about the athlete and his fans.
Musk shared Djokovic’s post on X and commented, “It’s way better just to talk to the public directly than go through the negativity filter of legacy media.”
The Serbian tennis star had defeated Jiri Lehecka in straight sets (6-3, 6-4, 7-6) in the fourth round, but faced a tough crowd at the Rod Laver Arena. The audience tried to distract him, which led him to decline a courtside interview with two-time Australian Open champion Jim Courier.
Later, Djokovic explained his decision in a press conference and a video message posted on X, where he stated that Tony Jones of Channel 9 had mocked Serbian tennis fans and made offensive comments about him during a broadcast. He noted that neither Jones nor the broadcaster had apologized for their behavior, which prompted him to avoid the interview.
