Serbian Davis Cup captain Viktor Troicki has hit out at Australia's treatment of Novak Djokovic, saying he thought Channel 9 journalist Tony Jones should be banned for life from tennis coverage.
Djokovic was booed by parts of the crowd after he pulled out of his Australian Open semifinal against Alexander Zverev with an injury.
While questions were raised about the extent of the injury, Djokovic later posted a scan of his leg online, with medical experts suggesting the MRI showed an injury that required about six weeks of recovery.
Djokovic was also in the headlines after he refused an on-court interview following his victory over Jirí Lehecka, in protest of a joke that veteran journalist Tony Jones made on the Channel 9 coverage.
Jones later apologised for the incident.
Troicki, who retired from professional tennis in 2021, said the treatment Djokovic received throughout the tournament was "disrespectful and disappointing" and he thought Jones should be banned from ever covering tennis again.
"There was the situation around Channel 9, which I noticed as well. If I had hired that journalist (Tony Jones), I would have fired him straight away. He would never work in sports again," Troicki told sports website Bolavip.
"To mock an athlete during the tournament is unacceptable. I don't think an apology is enough. I think he should be banned for life from covering tennis."
Troicki said he felt Melbourne's attitude to Djokovic had changed after the COVID saga in 2022, where the Serbian champ had been issued a visa to play in the Australian Open despite being unvaccinated, before being stopped at the border, detained, and sent back home.
Djokovic also claimed he had been 'poisoned' during that trip.
"I think they are treating Novak worse and worse. It is surprising and disappointing to see the greatest player of all time experiencing so many bad things happening in Australia again," Troicki said.
"After COVID and what they did to him a few years ago, it has never been the same."
Troicki also hit out at the Australian Open crowd, which was criticised throughout the tournament for rowdy and disrespectful behaviour.
"They were booing him after the injury, which I don't think happens in any sport. Not even in football, where the crowd is normally more wild. When someone gets injured in football, even an opponent, they will applaud you and wish you to get better," he said.
"That's why it was surprising to see, especially in a place where he has played his best tennis and has won 10 titles, that he got booed after the injury. It was really disrespectful and disappointing.
"They are booing him in the crowd, which was not happening before in Australia. I think they were admiring his results more and greeting the champion with more respect in the past."
Serbia is taking on Denmark in the Davis Cup this weekend, with Djokovic on the sidelines.
