Djoker's fixing report wrong: Fabrice Santoro

Paris: Fabrice Santoro on Thursday laughed off a suggestion that world number one Novak Djokovic deliberately lost to him at the Paris Masters in 2007. The former French player spoke out after an Italian newspaper said Djokovic could have thrown the second round match 3-6, 2-6.

“I was never the best player in the world but I’d beaten 19 of the 23 best players in the world, and a week before I’d beaten American Andy Roddick, who was world number five,” Santoro, who was ranked 39 at the time, told BeIN Sports television.

Whilst Djokovic “had undoubtedly not played the match of his life”, Santoro refuted the suggestion that the Serbian had been involved in match-fixing. “One has to be careful, you can’t just write any old thing, you have to have proof,” Santoro, now a commentator, said.

Djokovic on Wednesday called the corruption claim “absurd”. “It’s not true,” the 28-year-old Serb told a tense press conference at the Australian Open when asked about the suggestion. He said it would remain speculation until there was “real proof and evidence”.

“What is there to say? I’ve 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.

Meanwhile, retiring Lleyton Hewitt slammed as “an absolute farce” his name being linked with match-fixing claims. The dual Grand Slam champion and former world number one took aim after an anonymous online blog linked him to match-fixing allegations that have rocked the sport. The feisty Australian went on the attack during his post-match press conference, calling the claims “absurd” and a “farce.”

“I think it’s a joke to deal with it. Obviously, there’s no possible way. I know my name’s now been thrown into it,” he told reporters. “I don’t think anyone here would think that I’ve done anything (like) corruption or match-fixing. It’s just absurd. “For anyone that tries to go any further with it, then good luck. Take me on with it.”