Commentator Wally Masur faces intense criticism for his remarks about Novak Djokovic's injury.
Commentator Wally Masur is facing calls for his dismissal after making ominous remarks about Novak Djokovic in the first round of the 2026 Australian Open.
Novak Djokovic just marked a historic milestone with his 100th win at Melbourne Park, but the focus of the day shifted to the controversial remarks of commentator Wally Masur. Amidst the Serbian player's overwhelming dominance over Pedro Martinez on January 19th, Masur made comments that angered the tennis community.
Shocking statement about the champion's injury.
The incident occurred in the third set when Djokovic was close to a decisive victory. "I think Pedro Martinez's biggest chance was when Djokovic tore his adductor muscle in a slip. That's probably what Martinez needed," Masur commented live on television. While the initial intention may have been to praise Nole's absolute dominance, the analogy about a serious injury was deemed unprofessional and ominous.
On social media platforms, particularly X, a wave of criticism erupted. Many fans felt Masur had crossed the line of a neutral commentator. One fan even demanded that the CEO of the Australian Open, Craig Tiley, fire Masur immediately to protect the image of the first Grand Slam of the year.
The home commentator's bizarre series of actions
Not stopping there, Wally Masur continued to baffle Djokovic during a live interview on Rod Laver Arena. He expressed excessive "excitement" about the 38-year-old's physique and questioned his body fat percentage: "This is impressive, what's the fat percentage? Probably 1%?" In response to this curiosity, Djokovic simply smiled and humbly admitted that his body had changed considerably since his peak 15 years ago.
Earlier, Masur was also publicly criticized on the court by fellow player Andrey Rublev. When the commentator claimed that a "connection" was imminent between the two, Rublev flatly denied it, causing the audience to laugh. These consecutive incidents are shaking Masur's reputation in this year's tournament in the eyes of the public.
The absolute power of Novak Djokovic
Despite the controversies surrounding him, Novak Djokovic demonstrated his superior class on his journey to defend his title. He defeated Pedro Martinez with scores of 6-3, 6-2, 6-2 in just over two hours of play. This victory helped him reach the milestone of 100 wins at the Australian Open, solidifying his dominant position at Melbourne Park.
This devastating form has eased fans' worries, as before the tournament Nole had to withdraw from the Adelaide event and abandon training sessions due to fitness issues. In the second round, his opponent will be Francesco Maestrelli. The 23-year-old Italian player just caused an upset by coming from behind to defeat Terence Atmane 6-4, 3-6, 6-7(4), 6-1, 6-1 to win his first Grand Slam main draw.
