WORLD No 1 Novak Djokovic has strenuously denied any connection to match-fixing.

Italian newspaper Tuttosport featured allegations yesterday surrounding Djokovic’s match against France’s Fabrice Santoro at the Paris Masters in 2007, that the Serbian described as “absurd” and “not true”.

Djokovic was beaten by Santoro in the second round of the Paris tournament, losing 6-3, 6-2. The claims were put to Djokovic following his 6-1, 6-2, 7-6 (7/3), win against Frenchman Quentin Halys in the Australian Open second round, and the 10-time grand slam champion denied committing any offence.

“It’s not true,” Djokovic said. “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 haven’t been too many matches where top players have lost in the 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.”

At the time of his loss to Santoro, Djokovic said he had not been at peak physical fitness having undergone surgery to remove two wisdom teeth. He said he had not practised for a week and was not able to play to “even 30 per cent” of his ability.

Asked yesterday if he would take action against Tuttosport, Djokovic said: “I have nothing more to say, guys. If you have any other questions on any other subject, I’m ready to talk about this. I have nothing more to say.”

Djokovic had previously explained how he turned down a bribe made to him in 2006, when he was offered $200,000 (£141,000 on the current exchange rate) to lose a first-round match in St Petersburg. He said the approach never reached him as it was rejected by his team, but that it made him feel “terr-ible” and that match-fixing was a “crime in sport”.

Asked if the latest allegations saddened him, Djokovic said: “Of course. You don’t want these kind of subjects or speculations going around.

“I think that certain media is just trying to create a story out of it without any proof. So as long as it’s like that, it’s just a story. That’s all.”

The report follows an investig-ation carried out by the BBC and Buzzfeed, which claimed 16 players who have ranked in the top 50 were repeatedly flagged up to the sport’s authorities over suspicion of match-fixing but no further action was taken.

Djokovic had an easier time on the court, giving teenager Halys a free tennis lesson for about an hour before the wildcard showed how much he had learned in the Serb’s second-round win.

Djokovic was at his clinically efficient best in the first two sets as he looked three shots ahead of Halys and he opened up space on court at will while he romped to a 2-0 lead inside an hour.

The 19-year-old wildcard, ranked 167th in the world, then fought back in the third set, breaking the Serb for the first time and putting him under pressure before Djokovic ran away with the tie-break.

Djokovic, who is aiming for a record-equalling sixth Australian Open title, will next face either

Italy’s Andreas Seppi or Amer-ican Denis Kudla.

Roger Federer joined Djokovic in the third round with a 6-3, 7-5, 6-1, victory over Ukraine’s Alexandr Dolgopolov and Japan’s Kei Nishikori was also safely through having beaten American Austin Krajicek 6-3, 7-6(5), 6-3.

Sixth seed Tomas Berdych powered past Bosnia’s Mirza

Basic 6-4, 6-0, 6-3, and will face Australian Nick Kyrgios in the next round.