Djokovic: Men deserve higher pay than women

World Number one Novak Djokovic has said he believes men tennis should get higher prize money than women because they pull more spectators. 

This has added to the controversy over equality in the sport after Indian Wells tournament director Raymond Moore said women's tennis was riding on the coat-tails of the men's game. 

However, Djokovic, who won the Indian Wells title for the fifth time, said Moore was wrong in his remark. 

The Serbian said women “fought for what they deserve and they got it”. But he added that the men’s Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) “should fight for more.” 

“I think that our men’s tennis world, ATP world, should fight for more, because the stats are showing that we have much more spectators on the men’s tennis matches," Djokovic said. 

Angelique Kerber shows off her trophy at the Government House in Australia

Australian open champion Angelique Kerber, shows off her trophy after beating  world number one Serena Williams in yesterday's game.

The 28-year-old Kerber beat Williams 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 to win the title.

This is Kerber's first grand slam win. Looks like it's going to be a good year for the German.

Angelique Kerber of Germany poses for photographers with the Daphne Akhurst Memorial cup during a photo call at Govenment House after winning the 2016 Australian Open.

Novak Djokovic twists and turns himself into the semi-finals

World number one Novak Djokovic wins 6-3,6-2,6-4 by beating Japan's Kei Nishikori at the Australian Open.

He sets up a semi-final match against Roger Federer.

The win ensures Novak and Federer will meet for the 45th time in their careers, with a win of 22 wins each.

Djokovic offered $200,000 to fix tennis match

Novak Djokovic has claimed he was offered roughly $200,000 to lose a first-round match at a tournament in St. Petersburg, Russia in 2007.

Djokovic, who disclosed this at a press conference at the Australian Open, said he wasn't approached directly. 

"I was approached through people that were working with me at that time," he said, and made it clear that the offer was rejected. He added that he didn't even attend the tournament.

Djokovic went on to voice his displeasure at the offer saying, "It made me feel terrible because I don't want to be anyhow linked to this kind of -- you know, somebody may call it an opportunity."

 "For me, that's an act of unsportsmanship, a crime in sport honestly. I don't support it. I think there is no room for it in any sport, especially in tennis," he added.

A report by BuzzFeed/BBC said there has been widespread match-fixing in men's tennis and that authorities in the sport have ignored it. The report, however, refused to name the players involved because it could not prove a direct connection to betting. But, it stated  there is a group of 16 suspected men who have been ranked in the top 50 involved and the group involved a US Open champion.

Rafael Nadal starts 2016 with a win

The just concluded eight Mubadala World tennis championship has given Rafael Nadal, a good way to start the new year, he won his third Mubadala World Tennis Championship in Abu Dhabi yesterday.

Nadal beat Milos Raonic 7-6, 6-3 insisting he did “not want to live in the past”. 

It took Nadal over an hour and half to beat Milos in front of a sizeable Abu Dhabi International Tennis Complex crowd. Nadal had won this tournament in 2010 and 2011.

He looks set for a good year.

Serena Williams claims AP Award

Serena Williams received the award for Female Athlete of the year by the Associated Press, for the fourth time in her Tennis career. 

She beat  Carl Lloyd of the U.S. women's soccer team, who came in second place.  While UFC superstar Ronda Rousey finished in third place.

Serena won three grand slams in 2015, losing only in the U.S. Open semi finals, in September and in the process raised her grand slam single trophy count to 21. She is only behind Margaret Court and Steffi Graf.