NYT: Tennis beset by gambling rumors

Jason Sandford

Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.

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OK, so it’s Thanksgiving weekend and it’s slow and I’m looking for fresh stuff to post. Thats why I’ve been catching up on my video editing. But as a tennis fan, this New York Times story caught my attention:

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.

The allegations, from journeymen and highly ranked players, have built quietly as individuals on the men’s tour talked to newspapers and broadcast stations on different continents, but together they have massed into the worst crisis to ever hit the sport.

No players spoke to the Association of Tennis Professionals or the International Tennis Federation before going public. So 10 days ago, the ATP, which governs the rules and conducts 63 tournaments on the men’s tour, mandated that players and their entourages notify tennis officials within 48 hours about any information regarding gambling or match fixing.

Read the fully NYT story here.