Djokovic cruises to second round of Australian Open

The canny world number 35 reached the Australian Open quarter-finals in 2011.

Finding that extra gear when required is one of the factors that have helped Roger Federer to 17 grand slam singles titles but the Swiss barely needed to move out of first in his opening match against Georgian Nikoloz Basilashvili.

Djokovic, who said he rejected an indirect offer of money to fix a match in 2006, said he was not aware of any match-fixing at the top of the sport.

“Chung is only 19, he’s tall and he plays well from the back of the court and he has a big future”.

The 21-time major victor said there was no hint of match-fixing on the women’s tour.

Tennis authorities on Monday also hosed down claims evidence of widespread fixing had been suppressed following an incendiary media report on corruption in the sport.

“The evidence was really strong, there appeared to be a really good chance to nip it in the bud and get a strong deterrent out there to root out the main bad apples”.

“I’m feeling much better than in Brisbane. But I’m really excited about it”, said Sharapova, who said she has been interviewing her mother, father and grandparents and plans to include some journals she kept as a young girl.

“I haven’t played a competitive match in a really long time so it was good for me to come out here and get through it”, Williams said.

They say the referrals were made as a result of an investigation which started in 2007 following an inquiry into suspicious betting patterns in a match between Nikolay Davydenko and Martin Vassallo Arguello, of which both men were acquitted. “People are talking about names, guessing who these players are”. “Hopefully, I can have another great start here in Australian Open and take it from here”.

“I always have been taught and have been surrounded with people that had nurtured and respected the sport’s values”.

“Now I can breathe a little bit normally”, she said.

Defending champion Serena Williams has won her first-round match, beating Camila Giorgi of Italy 6-4, 7-5 on Rod Laver Arena.

The most dominant players in tennis entered the season’s first major after contrasting preparations, with Williams having to overcome a left knee problem that limited her court time and Djokovic warming up with a run to the title at Doha.

She dropped one service game in the match, while Giorgi struggled with 12 double-faults, including one on the decisive breakpoint in the 11th game of the second set.

Williams was certainly not at her barnstorming best in Rod Laver Arena but, after a long winter break, the top seed believes the extra rest stands her in good stead as she chases a 22nd grand slam title.

Former No.1-ranked Caroline Wozniacki is out of the Australian Open, losing 1-6, 7-6 (3), 6-4 to Yulia Putintseva of Kazakhstan.

Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) chief Chris Kermode rejected any suggestion that match-fixing evidence had been covered up or ignored.

Two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova earned the distinction of winning the first completed match at the tournament when she beat Thai qualifier Luksika Kumkhum, avenging her upset three-set loss in the first round here in 2014. The report said that in the last decade, 16 players who have been ranked in the top 50 have been repeatedly flagged to the integrity unit.