Channel Nine's live coverage of the Australian Open got off to a spectacularly awkward start on Sunday morning, with two embarrassing moments unfolding within the first quarter of an hour of the broadcast.
An Unfortunate Question for a Sporting Legend
The network's pre-match show from Melbourne Park, which began at 10am, quickly descended into cringe-worthy territory. Within five minutes of going on air, commentator Tony Jones remarked to his co-host, wheelchair tennis icon Dylan Alcott, that he had been seen on the golf course recently.
Alcott confirmed he had been "golfing a little bit, yeah." Panel member and former tennis professional John Millman then followed up by asking, "What's your handicap?" – intending to refer to his golf handicap.
The question, however, landed with a thud. Alcott, who is a paraplegic, replied dryly, "Ah, paraplegia," prompting immediate laughter from the rest of the panel as Millman realised his blunder.
Millman quickly attempted to clarify, saying, "No, no, I meant... come on, what do you play off?" Alcott then gave his actual golf handicap, stating he was "off 23 at the moment." The wheelchair champion later shared a clip of the exchange on Instagram with the caption "Always a confusing question." Millman commented in response, "That came out wrong."
Millman Steps In to Avert a Djokovic Controversy
Roughly ten minutes after the first incident, Millman found himself playing the role of peacemaker. Commentator Tony Jones, who made global headlines during last year's tournament for branding Novak Djokovic "overrated" and a "has-been," was introducing a segment on "Father Time."
The segment examined the chances of veterans Stan Wawrinka and Novak Djokovic. Jones began by showing two photos and stating, "I want to show you two photos here and tell me about father time - it catches up with everyone eventually. In the case of the man on the left [Djokovic] it would appear not."
Seemingly wary of another inflammatory statement, Millman swiftly interjected, "I'll take the reins on this one." He then launched into praise for the Serbian champion, noting his 99 Australian Open match wins and suggesting the stadium could be renamed in his honour.
"I think you can't write off a champion. However, I think father time is catching up on both of them," Millman said, before tactfully suggesting Djokovic might need to adjust his game to remain competitive in the later stages of his career.
The Lasting Impact of Past Comments
The shadow of Jones's previous remarks about Djokovic still looms large. Last year's outburst resulted in a formal apology and his removal from Nine's Wimbledon coverage. The fallout was severe enough that Serbian Davis Cup captain Viktor Troicki called for Jones to receive a lifetime ban from covering the sport.
Sunday's near-miss demonstrates the delicate balance broadcasters must strike in live sports coverage, where off-the-cuff remarks can quickly escalate into international incidents. While Millman's golf question to Alcott was a simple case of unfortunate phrasing, his quick thinking later likely prevented a significant diplomatic and professional headache for Channel Nine.
