Australian Open 2016: Andy Murray says match-fixing talk could distract Novak Djokovic

Andy Murray thinks allegations of match-fixing surrounding Novak Djokovic may prove to be "distracting" for the world number one. The 28-year-old Serb has strongly denied claims he intentionally lost a match at the 2007 Paris Masters.

But Murray thinks the accusations may distract Djokovic from trying to win the Australian Open in Melbourne, where he defeated the Scot in last year's final. "I think for anyone who is innocent, whose name gets talked about with that stuff, then you for sure feel sorry for them if they have done nothing wrong," he said, according to The Mirror. "Especially during an event like this, it's very distracting.

"But you also want to be competing in a clean sport as well. So sometimes asking questions, and the players being open about it and responding to it, and the people who are high up in the ATP and the International Tennis Federation and Tennis Integrity Unit talking also about it, is also a good thing."

Allegations of match-fixing have tarnished the sport's reputation in the eyes of some observers, but Murray thinks the latest round of claims may prove to be beneficial in the long run. The 28-year-old star welcomed the fact that the claims have instigated a discussion about the issue.

"If it's never discussed and nobody ever hears a thing about it, I don't think that's good either," he explained. "Maybe some people see it's negative for the sport in some ways. I think some positives can come from it as well, providing the appropriate people act in the right way and are proactive with whatever they are doing moving forward."