MELBOURNE, Australia — After his victory on Sunday night at the Australian Open, Novak Djokovic chose not to participate in the traditional post-match television interview, citing his discontent with remarks made by a member of the tournament’s official broadcasting team.

Djokovic, a 37-year-old Serbian tennis star, expressed his desire for an apology from Channel 9 and sportscaster Tony Jones, who referred to him as “overrated” and a “has-been” during a broadcast where Djokovic’s supporters were cheering. Although Djokovic did not specifically mention Jones, he condemned the journalist’s comments, stating, “A famous sports journalist who works for the official broadcaster made a mockery of Serbian fans and offered insulting remarks toward me.”

The Serbian athlete announced that he would continue to abstain from interviews with the network until the issue is addressed satisfactorily. “I leave it to Channel 9 to handle this the way they think they see fit. That’s all,” Djokovic remarked.

Following his win over Jiri Lehecka in straight sets at Rod Laver Arena, Djokovic was anticipated to converse with former player Jim Courier, but instead chose to thank the audience directly. “Thank you very much for being here tonight. I appreciate your presence and the support. I’ll see you next round. Thank you very much,” he stated, holding the microphone to the crowd.

In the subsequent press conference, Djokovic clarified his decision to forgo the interview, stressing that his grievances were directed at Jones and the broadcaster, rather than at Courier or the fans present. He revealed that he had also spoken with Craig Tiley, the CEO of Tennis Australia, about the situation.

“I just wanted to make sure that he knows where I stand and the reasons behind it,” Djokovic explained. “So I told him: ‘If you guys want to fine me for not giving an on-court interview, that’s OK.’ I’ll accept that ’cause I feel like this is something that needs to be done. That’s all there is to it.”