"They are treating Novak worse and worse" – Djokovic's captain speak out amid Australian Open controversy

Novak Djokovic remains one of the best tennis competitors today. At the age of 37, we have yet to see a decline in the Serbian star’s level of performance. Of course, the former world number one has his critics, and opinions about him have been divided following the Australian Open. Certain segments of the media and public have criticised him.

Djokovic will be unable to take to the court for Serbia in the first round of the Davis Cup, a significant loss for his national team. Serbia’s captain, Viktor Troicki, has strongly disapproved of how Djokovic was treated in Melbourne.

Djokovic reminded everyone why he is still one of the best players in the game with an impressive 2025 Australian Open campaign. He reached the semi-final before withdrawing from his match against Alexander Zverev. It was a strong run from the 10-time Australian Open champion, as he defeated Carlos Alcaraz and several other top contenders.

However, several incidents cast a shadow over his performance in the tournament. One of the most notable was a controversial joke made by Channel 9 journalist Tony Jones, who later apologised for the remark. Speaking to the sports website Bolavip, Troicki expressed his disappointment with how Djokovic was portrayed in the media.

"There was the situation around Channel 9, which I also noticed. I would have fired him immediately if I had hired that journalist (Tony Jones). He would never work in sports again," Troicki told Bolavip.

"To mock an athlete during the tournament is unacceptable. An apology is not enough. He should be banned for life from covering tennis."

Troicki also commented that Djokovic has been treated differently since the COVID-19 controversy in 2022.

"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," he said.

"It has never been the same after COVID and what they did to him a few years ago."

Djokovic also faced backlash from some Australian fans, as he was booed during the tournament.

"They were booing him after the injury, which I don’t think happens in any sport. This doesn’t even happen in football, where the crowd is normally wilder. When someone gets injured in football, even an opponent, they will applaud and wish them a speedy recovery," Troicki 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 was booed after the injury. It was disrespectful and disappointing.

"They are booing him in the crowd, which didn’t happen in Australia before. In the past, they admired his results more and greeted the champion with greater respect."

Djokovic, a true legend of the game, has left an indelible mark on tennis. As a 24-time Grand Slam winner, his next steps will be closely watched and highly anticipated.

As Djokovic recovers and looks ahead to future tournaments, the tennis world will be watching closely to see what comes next for one of the sport’s greatest ever players.