Novak Djokovic, the No. 1 tennis player in the world, was the favorite to win the Australian Open, where he has already won nine times, and take his 21st Grand Slam tournament, moving him past contemporaries Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer. But Djokovic won’t even compete. He was kicked out of the country after a complicated saga over his status to enter Australia because of COVID-19 protocols. Djokovic is unvaccinated and was denied a medical exemption.
For tennis fans in the U.S., the Australian Open is tough to embrace. The time difference makes watching live difficult for those who prefer to sleep normal hours. And the tournament is played while the NFL playoffs are going on. Still, ESPN does an excellent job covering the tournament and I debate whether it is better that Djokovic was kicked out or allowed to play and see the reaction of fans, who have endured strict COVID-19 rules for the past two years.
There was no shortage of opinions about Djokovic being banned or on Djokovic himself.
Of course, many anti-vaxxers and those against any sort of mandates — such as The Federalist’s Ben Domenech — have suddenly shown great interest in tennis and Djokovic. (Domenech thinks this will “tar the entire nation as fundamentally anti-freedom.”)
The Athletic’s Richard Deitsch poked fun at these new tennis “fans” as he tweeted, “Great to see so many new tennis fans on this site. When you are done culture war-ing, stick around for the clay-court season. The Internazionali BNL d’Italia features the best players at the Foro Italico in Rome. Gorgeous setting.”
On a more serious note, there were some thoughtful commentaries about Djokovic.
In a piece for The New York Times, Michael Steinberger wrote, “Djokovic, 34, has done potentially irreparable harm to his own image. It is a bitter twist for a player who has long craved the adoration lavished on his chief rivals, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, and it is a sad coda to what is widely considered the greatest era in the history of men’s tennis.”
In her column for The Washington Post, Sally Jenkins wrote, “Novak Djokovic injured his legacy and his chance at being a popular champion not because of his vaccination status and unconventional beliefs, but because he imagined his sacrifices were the only ones that mattered. In the hunt for stand-alone greatness, he lost touch with others.”
Why didn’t Djokovic just get the shot?
Jenkins writes, “Because Djokovic chases a 1 percent margin of human performance, on an acute physical plane, one in which he’s sensitive to even a moment of dullness or physical setback, and he trusts no one but himself to protect that sensory margin. Not even a doctor. And perhaps living at that 1 percent made him feel invulnerable, and unassailable.”
Nadal is playing in Australia (Federer is not because of injury) and could get the record 21st major title. Djokovic could have issues playing in other majors, depending on the country and what the COVID-19 situation is when they are played.
But as CNN’s George Ramsay wrote, “Many see it as only a matter of time before (Djokovic) owns the record outright and establishes himself as the greatest player in the history of men's tennis — a titan on the court with a complicated, controversial legacy off it.”
Journalism legend to retire
Paul Tash, the CEO and chairman of the Tampa Bay Times, announced last week that he will retire on July 1. He will continue as chairman of the board of trustees of Poynter, which owns the Tampa Bay Times.
While I’m biased because Tash has been one of my journalism mentors and I have worked for him for much of my career, there is no disputing he is among the most influential media figures in Tampa Bay history. Tash moved up the ranks at the Times, starting as a reporter in the 1970s. He would go on to become the editor in 1992 and then CEO and chairman in 2004. Since 1992, The Times has won nine of its 13 Pulitzer Prizes, including three for local reporting — more than any other outlet for local reporting.
Tash told the Times’ Jay Cridlin, “This seems like a very good time, both for the Times and for me, to make this move. Especially for the Times, because I really am encouraged about some of the great work we’ve gotten done, and the trajectory that we are on going forward.”
Conan Gallaty, a digital media specialist who has been with the Times since 2018, will become the Times’ new CEO and chairman.
For more on both, check out the story from my Poynter colleague Rick Edmonds.
Sad news
If you live in Chicago and are a big sports fan, you know the name Les Grobstein, who passed away over the weekend. He was 69. Grobstein was the overnight radio sports host on 670 The Score.
The Chicago Sun-Times’ Jeff Agrest described him as a “broadcasting icon.” Chicago media writer Robert Feder wrote Grobstein was known as a “hard-working reporter with a phenomenal memory and a loyal following among night owls.”
The Chicago Tribune’s Paul Sullivan wrote, “Grobstein spent more than 50 years reporting and commenting on the Chicago sports scene and was in press boxes in his final days.” Sullivan added, “If it was a Chicago sports fact and Grobstein confirmed it, you didn’t have to go to the internet to fact-check. He was that good.”
Feder wrote that Grobstein had been out sick last week, but no other details are known.
Aside from being a longtime host, Grobstein also is known for having recorded on audio the infamous, legendary, profanity-laced and, frankly, hilarious rant of former Chicago Cubs manager Lee Elia. (Here it is, if you’ve never heard it. But be warned, it’s hardcore R-rated.)
Media tidbits
- The New York Times’ Catherine Porter talks to Jodie Ginsberg, who was recently named president of the Committee to Protect Journalists: “A Fighter for Press Freedom Is Expanding Her Battle.”
- Four months after its launch as NBC News NOW’s first prime-time streaming program, “Top Story with Tom Llamas” is now available as an audio showcast and you can find it wherever you get your podcasts. “Top Story with Tom Llamas” is a one-hour show reporting on the biggest stories of the day and can be streamed weekdays from 7 to 8 p.m. Eastern on NBC News NOW.
- CNN is mourning the loss of stage manager Jay Conroy in this thoughtful clip.
- This is cool: “Jeopardy!” is releasing a daily box score — stats from that day’s program.
Hot type
Have feedback or a tip? Email Poynter senior media writer Tom Jones at [email protected].
More resources for journalists
The Poynter Report is our daily media newsletter. To have it delivered to your inbox Monday-Friday, sign up here.
