Novak Djokovic Denies Allegation That He Deliberately Lost Match

Tennis No 1 Novak Djokovic has dismissed a report that he once deliberately lost a match at a prestigious tournament in Paris saying it is absurd.

An Italian newspaper published a story with a headline suggesting that he wanted to lose a match at the 2007 Paris Indoor Masters, where he unexpectedly went down 6-3, 6-2 to French veteran Fabrice Santoro. Djokovic, who the previous week in that autumn had wisdom teeth surgery, completely rejected the idea that there could be anything else behind what was a surprise defeat

Djokovic chose to address the story after reaching the third round of the Australian Open with a 6-1, 6-2, 7-5 victory over French teenager Quentin Halys saying “I remember that match. My response is that there's always going to be, especially these days when there is a lot of speculations, this is now the main story in tennis, in the sports world there's going to be a lot of allegations. 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. 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. Anybody can create a story about any match. That's my point. There hasn't been too many matches where top players lost in last decade or so in early rounds. You can pick any match that you like that the top player lost and just create a story out of it. I think it's not supported by any kind of proof, any evidence, any facts. It's just speculation. So I don't think there is a story about it. It's not true”

The match in question took place at what is the last event of the regular season before the year-end tour championships, before Djokovic won his first Grand Slam, the 2008 Australian Open. He was already very much a rising star and had reached No 3 in the world. There was the expectation that, under normal circumstances, he would have beaten then 34-year-old opponent Santoro.