I’m no fixer, says Nole after win

Melbourne, January 20

World No. 1 Novak Djokovic swept regally into the third round of the Australian Open on Wednesday before being forced to deny any involvement in the tennis match-fixing scandal that has dogged the first three days of the Grand Slam.

The Serbian defending champion granted Quentin Halys a 100-minute audience on Rod Laver Arena before despatching the French teenager 6-1 6-2 7-6(3) but he enjoyed a less comfortable ride in the post-match media conference. Alerted to a story in an Italian newspaper suggesting his loss to now-retired French player Fabrice Santoro in Paris in 2007 was fixed, the 28-year-old denied it point blank.

“It’s not true,” he said when told he had been accused of deliberately losing. “What it is to say? I’ve lost that match. Anybody can create a story about that match or for that matter any of the matches of the top players losing in the early rounds, I think it’s just absurd.”

Back on court, Djokovic was joined in the third round by women’s champion Serena Williams, 17-times Grand Slam champion Federer and Maria Sharapova who all made short work of their second-round opponents.

The only real shock today came in the penultimate match of the day when Czech sixth seed Petra Kvitova, twice a Wimbledon winner, was beaten 6-4 6-4 by naturalised local Daria Gavrilova.

Federer ‘feeling good’

Roger Federer is in love with tennis even after nearly two decades but may not be that keen to follow his children if they ever turned professional, the Swiss maestro said after storming into the third.

The 34-year-old overcame some feisty second set resistance from Alexandr Dolgopolov before he ran away with the match 6-3 7-5 6-1 courtesy of a superb service game and aggressive groundstrokes in the final set.

He will next play Bulgaria’s Grigor Dimitrov in the third round on Friday and the third seed was so far enjoying his quest for his fifth Australian Open title.

“It’s been going very well for me, and I hope to keep it up as long as I choose to play tennis,” the 17-times Grand Slam winner told reporters after recording his 299th victory at a Grand Slam with the win against the 27-year-old Ukrainian. “The least I expect (is) to be in the third round of a Slam, so I’m pumped up, playing well, feeling good.” 

Federer said while he was still in love with the sport that had earned him hundreds of millions of dollars in prize money and endorsements, he may resist the idea of following any of his four children if they turned professional.

“I think it’s 40 years on the tennis tour that doesn’t excite me, you know, straight,” he said while laughing when asked to clarify an on-court statement he made about not wanting to watch his daughters play on Rod Laver Arena.

“As much as I love it now, I’m just not sure what my excitement level will be in 20 years’ time from now.” Federer, who has six year-old twin daughters Myla Rose and Charlene Riva and twin boys Leo and Lennart, said he had encouraged his daughters to take tennis lessons for reasons other than carving out a potential career.

“I think it’s a good thing for them,” he said. “It’s a great sport to learn how to lose, to win, to figure it out, for friendship, discipline, for hand-eye coordination. I will support them all the way whatever they want to do, but I don’t see myself doing that right now. I’d rather support them in another sport... See them be a super skier.” — Reuters

Highlights day 3

Radwanska beats Bouchard

Women’s No. 4 seed Agnieszka Radwanska from Poland disposed of Canada’s Eugenie Bouchard (in pic) 6-4 6-2.

Gavrilova stuns Kvitova

Australia’s Daria Gavrilova stunned No. 6 seed Petra Kvitova of the Czech Republic 6-4 6-4 to progress to the third round, where she will meet France’s Kristina Mladenovic.

Simon goes the distance

Men’s 14th seed Gilles Simon of France beat Russia’s Evgeny Donskoy 6-3 5-7 7-6(1) 4-6 7-5 to progress to the third round.

Cilic sees off Ramos-Vinolas

Former US Open champion Marin Cilic beat Spain’s Albert Ramos-Vinolas 6-1 6-3 7-6(4) to enter the third round, where the 12th-seeded Croat will face another Spaniard, 24th seed Roberto Bautista Agut.

Kyrgios fined for obscenity

Australian Nick Kyrgios has been fined $3,000 after he was heard to utter an obscenity in his first round win over Pablo Carreno Busta. 

Kuznetsova falls

Two-times Grand Slam champion Svetlana Kuznetsova was dumped out by former doubles winner Kateryna Bondarenko 6-1 7-5 at the Hisense Arena. 

Fastest serves

Sam Groth, with a 235 km per hour serve among men. Serena Williams (in pic) has hit a 201 kph bullet.