Gambling Scandal In Pro Tennis: Players Report Being Asked To Throw Matches

New York Times:

As the venerable Davis Cup finals begin Friday in Oregon, tennis is mired in a widening gambling scandal in which at least a dozen ranked players have said they have been asked to throw matches or have heard of similar approaches to others.

The players have volunteered their stories in the wake of an investigation of Nikolay Davydenko of Russia, the world's No. 4 player, because of betting patterns during a loss in Poland in the summer. Mr. Davydenko, who has refused to turn over phone records, has since denied any wrongdoing.

Read the whole story: New York Times

Comments

[OneTop]

Yep ..... the age old Rule

Don't bet on anything that can talk !

[DietrichMoody]

It's ironic and probably well deserved that the genteel, rich, corporatized and somewhat hypocritical tennis establishment receives this attention and big black eye.

It was not too long ago that tennis fans, players and media were accusing the Williams sister of actually throwing matches , .

And now, it turns out that they weren't the one's throwing matches, but everyone else - the Whole tennis establishment.

A hope big mouths like Tracy Austin and Patrick Macenroe come out so vocally against this as they were so vocally against the Williams for the perceived lack of Tennis acumen sophistication. Austin and Mac, EAT THAT HUMBLE PIE.

All I can say is HAHAHA, I hope this issue blows wide open and shows the world what the tennis industry has been all about: elitism, hypocricy,. self importance, and fanatasism.

[Mutineer]

I'm a huge tennis fan. Finally there's some drama in the sport. Between Hingis' cocaine tests (she was framed) and Davydenko throwing matches, it's starting to resemble the soap opera you see in the NBA or NFL. As the tennis center of gravity moves to Eastern Europe, expect more drama.

[DatelessNerd]

Finally, there's an explanation as to why Anna Kournikova never won a major tournament.

[emerywood]

I do believe this is another sign that on-line gambling is getting totally out of hand. If this is not curbed in time, it will become another scourge in society akin to drug use. By then, even " war on gambling " may not work as we have witnessed in the " war on drugs ".

[LDW]

I would bet that organized crime in Russia doesn't merely offer the carrot of a cash pay-off for throwing a game, but the 'stick' incentive that the tennis player cannot protect family members at home if he/she doesn't comply. I think organized crime in other centres has done this sort of thing before, and in Russia organized crime seems to have infiltrated the highest levels of government and the police.

[Issak]

this is good- the snooty country club set can lower their arched eye brow and stop pretending that theirs is a clean game. you fling and smear shit like everyone else. boo hoo.