Djokovic reaches Australian Open 4th round

At 6-6, a looping forehand from Djokovic brought an error from Seppi and the Serb sealed victory with an unreturned serve in two hours and 21 minutes.

After comfortably coming through his first two matches in Melbourne, this was a stiffer test against 28th seed Seppi but Djokovic stepped up to claim a 6-1, 7-5, 7-6 (8-6) victory.

However, the 14 th seed Frenchman believes he could be a trouble for Djokovic after dominating Argentina’s Federico Delbonis 6-3 6-2 6-1 in what Simon called a “perfect” performance. “I think it’s just absurd”.

“I think because of the very high standard that you set yourself with great results over the years, you expect from yourself a lot”, Djokovic told reporters.

Defending champions and top-ranked Serena Williams and Novak Djokovic had matches scheduled for the same time later Friday. “Like previous year the third round was the end for me, so I hope to go further this time”.

Santoro, who was 39 in the world at the time and has forged a career as a TV commentator since retiring six years ago, won that match 6-3, 6-2 with Wednesday’s Tuttosport claiming Djokovic “voluntarily lost”.

In a week overshadowed by allegations of match-fixing on the professional circuit, Djokovic was asked if Friday’s clash was hard to prepare for and he said: “I understand how I need to carry myself”. “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, said. Between matches at the Australian Open, tennis experts have explained the mechanics of match-fixing, spelling out that it doesn’t necessarily mean throwing an entire match, but could involve taking money just to double-fault or lose a set.

Williams did a twirl on Rod Laver Arena after crushing Russian teenager Daria Kasatkina 6-1 6-1 to extend her record of wins to 71 matches, the post-match chatter quickly turning to her cropped-top outfit. The Swiss man is the last player who managed to beat Novak Djokovic in a Grand Slam final.

“But, you know, it is what it is and we expected it. When we heard the story would come out, we all expected questions from you guys”.

“You’re aware of it – I’m a veteran so I”, don’t get distracted, Federer said.

Belgium’s David Goffin awaits Federer in round four, after he beat Dominic Thiem 6-1, 3-6, 7-6 (7/2), 7-5 in a match that included a generous act of sportsmanship from the Austrian.

Sixth seed Tomas Berdych takes on Roberto Bautista Agut out on Margaret Court Arena, while seventh seed Kei Nishikori’s attempt to avenge his five-set loss to Jo-Wilfried Tsonga at last year’s French Open is on Hisense Arena.

The fifth-seeded Sharapova will next play No. 12 Belinda Bencic, who had a 4-6, 6-2, 6-4 win over Kateryna Bondarenko. He is yet to drop a set in three rounds at the year-opening Grand Slam.