Novak Djokovic
Novak Djokovic of Serbia stretches for a backhand in his second round match against Quentin Halys of France during day three of the 2016 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on 20 January Getty

Novak Djokovic takes on Andreas Seppi in the third round of the 2016 Australian Open on Friday 22 January. The Serbian has been in the middle of a match-fixing controversy and will be looking to thwart his detractors by putting in yet another performance of note on the pitch.

Where to Watch Live

The match starts at 8am GMT. Live coverage will be available on Eurosport 1, Eurosport 1 HD, Eurosport 2 and Eurosport HD. Live scores and real-time internet updates are available on the Australian Open official website.

Overview

Djokovic comes into the game on the back of a second round win over France's Quentin Halys in straight sets 6-1 6-2 7-6(3), in a game which lasted just under two hours. The defending champion hit 42 winners as he kept the dream alive to win three successive Grand Slams since losing the French Open last year.

A win here for Djokovic could pit him against Japan's Kei Nishikori in the quarter-finals, which would be an acid test for his grand slam aspirations for the current year. This would be Djokovic's sixth Australian Open title if he manages to go all the way, establishing his position as the number one tennis player in the world.

Meanwhile, Seppi will be looking to replicate his form from last season, when he upset Roger Federer in the third round to progress further in the competition. However, his record against Djokovic is something he will not be too willing to revert on, having won only a set in the seven games they have played thus far on hard courts. Djokovic has a 7-0 record over Seppi in the corresponding fixtures and his current form suggests the upcoming result may not be too different.

Betting Odds

  • Djokovic win: 1/100
  • Seppi Win: 23/1

Head to Head

Djokovic has an enviable record against Seppi, winning each of the 11 games played between each other thus far.