Djokovic wants proof of 'absurd' fix allegations

World No 1 slams Italian paper over lastest claims

World No 1 Novak Djokovic has called for those making corruption allegations to provide proof after blasting as "absurd" an Italian newspaper which suggested he could have thrown a match.

"It's not true," the 28-year-old Serb told a tense media conference at the Australian Open when asked about a story in the Tuttosport newspaper about his 2007 loss to Frenchman Fabrice Santoro at the Paris Masters.

The reigning champion, who eased into the third round with a 6-1, 6-2, 7-6 (3) win over French teenager Quentin Halys in Melbourne on Wednesday, described the current speculation about tennis as "absurd".

He said it would remain speculation until there is "real proof and evidence".

Tennis authorities have also strongly denied suggestions that evidence of corruption has been suppressed.

The Tuttosport story saidDjokovic could have deliberately lost to Santoro at the Paris Masters in their 2007 match - which Djokov-played after just having his wisdom teeth removed.

"What it there to say? I lost that match. I don't know if you're trying to 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," said Djokovic.

"Anybody can create a story about any match. That's my point. There hasn't been too many matches where top players lost in the last decade or so in the early rounds.

"You can pick any match that you like that the top player lost and just create a story out of it. I don't think there is a story about it.

"I think it's not supported by any kind of proof, any evidence, any facts. It's just speculation."

Djokovic's name was mentioned in an Italian prosecution investigation into illegal betting on soccer and tennis. Two Italian players were suspected of accepting bribes.

The inquiry was officially closed last month.

The BBC and BuzzFeed News claimed on the eve of the Australian Open that 16 top players have repeatedly been suspected of involvement in fixed matches but never faced action.

Djokovic revealed on Monday he had been indirectly offered $200,000 to throw a first-round match in St. Petersburg in 2007, just before the Paris Masters.

He said it was rejected and he did not go to the Russian tournament.

Djokovic said on Monday that tennis corruption was "a crime in sport" but he said at Wednesday's media conference that much of the talk is speculation.

"My response is that there's always going to be, especially these days when there is a lot of speculation, this is now the main story in tennis, in the sports world. There is always going to be a lot of allegations," he said.

"I have nothing more to say. I said everything I needed to say two days ago.

"You know, until somebody comes out with the real proof and evidence, it's only a speculation for me."

A host of former players have backed Djokovic and his fellow stars who have called for any evidence of alleged wrongdoing to be made public.

"We need facts, not suppositions," tweeted Martina Navratilova, a winner of 18 Grand Slam singles titles.

Agassi says match-fixing was never on his radar

Andre Agassi says match-fixing in tennis "never even made my radar" while he was on tour.

The eight-time Grand Slam title winner, who retired from the sport in 2006, said in a telephone interview with Associated Press that he never had any brush with the sort of corruption alleged in recent media reports, which has become the main topic of conversation at the Australian Open.

Agassi also said he hopes - and believes - the sport's leaders will make sure match-fixing is not happening.

"I worry about that being a problem in any sport, because I think it poses an existential threat to the very fabric of what sports is about," Agassi said.

"I think every sport needs to take that threat incredibly seriously."

The BBC and BuzzFeed News published reports this week, saying tennis authorities failed to thoroughly investigate evidence of match-fixing involving more than a dozen players who have ranked in the top 50 over the past decade. No players were named in the reports.

"In 21 years I played professionally, I can say, either based on my naivet�� or my focus on trying to be the best in the world, that it never made my radar at any stage in those 21 years," Agassi said.

"So I don't know if I was unreachable, untouchable or just purely in my own world, but it never even made my radar, whatsoever."

Agassi thinks the ATP, WTA and International Tennis Federation should look into the broader issue.

"I believe and assume that the organizing bodies of any sport would treat this (subject) with the seriousness that it deserves, to protect the integrity of the game and also the fans of the sport," Agassi said.

"It needs to be treated that way. And it sounds, based on the reports and the conversations about it, that it will be addressed as such."