Warwinka match of yesterday 25th, was another suspect. uncharacteristically the higher seeded player was gifting away points, games and ultimately the match itself . Unlike Djoko made a record of 100 unforced errors in five sets but fought to win ultimately. There was no such fight in Warwinka yesterday . Thats not how grand slams are played .
1
Like my Dad, an inveterate but knowledgeable gambler always said, NEVER bet on anything that can TALK!
Tough to rid the sport of corruption when you have such enormous income disparity between the top pros--who live like kings in Monte Carlo and Dubai and fly private jets to tournaments--and their lower-ranked supporting cast--who don't even break even. The journeyman players are going to be severely tempted to take payoffs for point shaving, knowing their odds of ever making the real prize money and endorsements are long. Best idea is to create a pro minimum, along the lines of US pro football--even a rookie benchwarmer gets $400,000/year.
6
It is human nature that is corruptible, not the game of tennis itself: if it was not for the money and/or rankings, it could well be something else. The existences of betting/gambling provided platforms and further incentivized those with ill intentions to exploit this human weakness and profit from it. I understand that many true sports fans would like to draw inspirations from their teams/athletes and refuse to let the games be tainted in any way, but let’s stop romanticizing for a moment and accept the fact that professional sports are being played/funded/watched by imperfect and corruptible creatures, i.e. us. So, let’s look at the sports for what it is, an entertainment enterprise where some or all of us can draw benefits from, one way or another.
It's true, lower-ranked professional Tennis players do get involved in match fixing but to some extent, however harsh it maybe for the unlucky loser, they have tough thugs from crime syndicates breathing down their necks and can't always refuse plus, they could do with the money.
If players are injured, as Marrero says he was, and he goes on to retire, betting companies will void the bet(s) and no money is paid out. Look at Madison Keys vs Shuai Zhang on 25 Jan Australian Open, all of a sudden after winning the first set, she then sports an injury to her thigh which wasn't affecting her at all at any point during the game. Then, to avoid further aggravating her injury and risk her career, she doesn't retire and continues to play, even though she was still the better player and she could have won the match with this injury! But she didn't retire so betting companies don't void bets. Maybe she didn't want a part to play, but with thugs breathing down your neck...and the crocodile tears at the end.
If players are injured, as Marrero says he was, and he goes on to retire, betting companies will void the bet(s) and no money is paid out. Look at Madison Keys vs Shuai Zhang on 25 Jan Australian Open, all of a sudden after winning the first set, she then sports an injury to her thigh which wasn't affecting her at all at any point during the game. Then, to avoid further aggravating her injury and risk her career, she doesn't retire and continues to play, even though she was still the better player and she could have won the match with this injury! But she didn't retire so betting companies don't void bets. Maybe she didn't want a part to play, but with thugs breathing down your neck...and the crocodile tears at the end.
2
Lol, Really. You DID watch the match, right? Madison Keys was so injured she could barely move, and your cynical assumptions about a great competitor are absolute nonsense.
2
This is so funny how the whole world automatically thinks match-fixing when the very obvious possibility is that some random person who is close to the pair knew about the knee injury and then they just started to bet on the other team. Then people call their friends and within a couple of hours you can have 200 people betting on it. Not to mention that Pinnacle is very aware of this possibility. It could have been a friend of the doctor who was examining the player in Australia the day before the match. And Pinnacle with their 500 dollar markets? What a joke. Then down to 100 dollars? You are all being duped into thinking this is possible match-fixing when there are other possibilities. This is very close to slander/libel and this is the problem with the freedom of the press these days. This player may have done nothing wrong and has his name blasted all over the front of the NY Times as a possible match-fixer.
This is why I don't watch or support professional sports. It's all $$$.
1
Most Tennis players do not get any guaranteed money or a signing bonus. Most of the money is concentrated among the top 1%. And the sport costs a lot of money for travel, coaching, equipment and other stuff. Not a total surprise that some low level players try to make a quick buck. The problem is the administrators are alleged to have downplayed this issue. That could be because the administration of the sport is divided, the ITF runs the Grand Slams, the ATP runs the men's tour and WTA the women's tour. They have been at loggerheads for years and so no surprise that there is no coordinated action.
1
David Marrero
was clearly in need of his Spanish sombrero
the knee must be shaded
else cynics attest all's financially aided.
Lara Arruabarrena
was quick to provide a detailed disclaimer
my partner El Fixo
first set was so bad we lost it O sixo.
was clearly in need of his Spanish sombrero
the knee must be shaded
else cynics attest all's financially aided.
Lara Arruabarrena
was quick to provide a detailed disclaimer
my partner El Fixo
first set was so bad we lost it O sixo.
2
It was reported that the average professional tennis player makes about $300K a year. If that is is the case I find it hard to believe that top seeded players would throw a match for the money. I don't think players like Rafael Nadal (my favorite player), Federer, Murray, Djokovic and Wawrinka need the cash.
"n July Michael Russell won a tennis tournament in Manta, Ecuador, logging 8,628 miles just to get there and back. It was one of his best performances all year and the victory netted him $5,000, yet he barely broke even on the week-long venture. Welcome to the bizarre and trying world of professional tennis."
Pro tennis is brutally hard, probably the most demanding of all pro sports. There is no team bus, no team doctor, all expenses are paid by the player,Travel, hotel, Medical fees, laundry, therapy, etc , if he is ranked outside the top 100 he is barely making do..Tennis players are travelling constantly and playing, much more prone to injury and illness, and by the US open time, you see most players wrapped and taped. Grossly underpaid, with very little sympathy from the top ten who demand appearance money which they do not need, and which could further the career of someone who is struggling to stay on tour
Pro tennis is brutally hard, probably the most demanding of all pro sports. There is no team bus, no team doctor, all expenses are paid by the player,Travel, hotel, Medical fees, laundry, therapy, etc , if he is ranked outside the top 100 he is barely making do..Tennis players are travelling constantly and playing, much more prone to injury and illness, and by the US open time, you see most players wrapped and taped. Grossly underpaid, with very little sympathy from the top ten who demand appearance money which they do not need, and which could further the career of someone who is struggling to stay on tour
and then there are the girls.
Here in Oz, we love three things: alcohol; gambling and ... Hmm, here in Oz we love two things ...
2
If this match were fixed, wouldn't have been so one-sided.
I would not be surprised to see Kei Nishikori beat Novak tomorrow. Novak made almost the exact same comments in his in post match, on court interview in 2014, before the semifinal match he lost to Nishikori: "even if I loose, Uniqlo wins".
Moreover, Kei stated yesterday with certainly that he would beat Novak. I think there's tremendous pressure from Uniqlo and the aggressive billionaire founder and CEO to see Nishikori win and advance. Uniqlo pay Novak far more money than any prize money he would get from winning.
Moreover, Kei stated yesterday with certainly that he would beat Novak. I think there's tremendous pressure from Uniqlo and the aggressive billionaire founder and CEO to see Nishikori win and advance. Uniqlo pay Novak far more money than any prize money he would get from winning.
Id be surprised. I dont think Nishikori can beat Djokovik. And Uniqlo pays him well as long as he keeps winning. Its not in his interest to lose.
Every major sport has fixing going on.
Either correct it, by banning anyone caught doing it from the sport for life, or let's all agree to look the other way.
Half measures aren't going to fix it.
"Fines" aren't going to fix it.
"Investigative panels" certainly aren't going to fix it.
If it's going to end their career permanently, they'll think twice.
If you want even swifter action, start talking about prosecutions and jail time.
Obviously, some of these players need to watch "On The Waterfront".
Either correct it, by banning anyone caught doing it from the sport for life, or let's all agree to look the other way.
Half measures aren't going to fix it.
"Fines" aren't going to fix it.
"Investigative panels" certainly aren't going to fix it.
If it's going to end their career permanently, they'll think twice.
If you want even swifter action, start talking about prosecutions and jail time.
Obviously, some of these players need to watch "On The Waterfront".
1
Or read "The Pete Rose Story" !
At least the US Government has caught on that gambling is cancer
2
Players caught taking bribes to throw a match should be permanently barred from professional sports, period, as athletes, coaches, trainers, or commentators. You can't stop betting, but you can work hard to keep the athletes clean and honest.
2
Stop betting. That would fix these problems. As simple as that.
6
No it wouldn't. Online trading makes a public record of the fixed matches. Without legal betting, everything just goes even more underground.
Players have incentives to fix matches even without betting involved. Manipulating seeds, preserving rankings when facing injuries, and selling rankings to lower tiered players looking to get exposure. This happens in Chess, a sport with almost no betting, much more than anyone thinks. Better players intentionally lose matches so they can play down and win money in events they ordinarily couldn't play, and worse players get the chance to play up for a while.
Finally, this article is very dumb and poorly researched. Pinnacle Sports is very much directed at Americans, even though they are technically banned. Their policies are terrible for professional traders as you wouldn't be able to get large amounts of money off. Also, most match fixing involves dumping key points, and sets. Not all points in tennis are equal. If you know which points to trade, or which games will be lost, then you can trade these, and the player fixing the result doesn't even have to lose. Think point shaving in basketball. Absolutely nobody but a complete idiot would bet before the match and then intentionally lose. It's much more likely in this case the information of a player injury leaked and it went down the grapevine of a tennis betting forum. The pros bet in play mostly.
Players have incentives to fix matches even without betting involved. Manipulating seeds, preserving rankings when facing injuries, and selling rankings to lower tiered players looking to get exposure. This happens in Chess, a sport with almost no betting, much more than anyone thinks. Better players intentionally lose matches so they can play down and win money in events they ordinarily couldn't play, and worse players get the chance to play up for a while.
Finally, this article is very dumb and poorly researched. Pinnacle Sports is very much directed at Americans, even though they are technically banned. Their policies are terrible for professional traders as you wouldn't be able to get large amounts of money off. Also, most match fixing involves dumping key points, and sets. Not all points in tennis are equal. If you know which points to trade, or which games will be lost, then you can trade these, and the player fixing the result doesn't even have to lose. Think point shaving in basketball. Absolutely nobody but a complete idiot would bet before the match and then intentionally lose. It's much more likely in this case the information of a player injury leaked and it went down the grapevine of a tennis betting forum. The pros bet in play mostly.
1
That would fix nothing. Betting would just go underground and then it would get violent.
The Devil sets the price. ~Robertson Davies
2
The Devil is a scapegoat for the culprits. Banning gambling would work as well as Prohibition.
1
I wish stock markets and banks were being watched by authorities as closely as sports seem to be. It seems abuses in sports just additional reflections of the society that sponsors all of the abuses. It seems the only thing that money cannot buy today is poverty.
17
How about some scrutiny of performance enhancing drugs?
To me there is no way Serena Williams could have bulked up
over the years without a lot of "help."
Is she for real or another Lance Armstrong?
To me there is no way Serena Williams could have bulked up
over the years without a lot of "help."
Is she for real or another Lance Armstrong?
8
She is for real. She has always been very muscular. There is nothing abnormal about her appearance for those of use who have followed her career from the beginning.
2
Another headline stated that Djokovic won despite 100 unforced errors. This highlights the difficulty in interpreting the motive of unforced errors and thus policing the sport. Maybe the bookies are the answer.
A main Television sponsor of the Australian Open ins William Hill, a betting house. Even in Australia this is declasse. Really poor judgement on the part of the organizers, more like it. But hey...money is money, and he with the most money wins, eh?
3
Mixed doubles = sacrificial lambs. Someone(s) is going to take the fall to cleanse the sport. The circus may just be opening its doors.
If you play tennis at all you will remember times when you played an opponent you played before and yet suddenly, this time, your opponent was different. He suddenly felt like a dead fish. No fight, much less lower skill level than before, slower around the court, literally no one there. How could such a thing happen. What's wrong with my opponent? But, if he's giving it away, I'll still do my best and take the match, thank you very much. Was he "not there" because he was tanking to win big money gambling? You might think that, but to my knowledge there's no BIG betting on matches played in public parks. By the way, the converse of the above scenario is also true. Someone you know who plays at a 3.5 level suddenly zones, and kills you. Was he faking in previous matches? Nah, and the next time he plays he'll return to his usual form. So, when is a player simply out of sorts, and when is he tanking deliberately? And how can one know for sure?
6
As an amateur who has played tennis for well over 20 years, and having been a USTA doubles quarterfinalist in SoCal, I frankly became enamored of the sport as a way of discharging energy and anxiety. So, I felt hit in the gut when this scandal broke. The top players are personal heroes not just to me, but to many other players. To up my game, I pretend I am one of them - in my case Djokovic even before he became number one - and ask how he would respond to what my opponent is doing. "Becoming" him allows me to sharpen my senses, to compete better.
In addition, in years past, tennis was considered a "gentleman's" game. There is no punching, no concussions, just lots of exercise and fun in the open air. And starting with Arthur Ashe and continuing on to the Williams sisters, it has even become a venue visibly promoting racial and ethnic equality.
Attending tournaments, I often feel I am stepping into a Ralph Lauren ad, seeing athletes at their best. So the idea that there could be some corruption - any corruption - in this particular sport really hurts.
No, I am not a bettor. I simply love the game, as do many, many others. Long ago, when I was still new to the game, I even wrote up an LA Times article on the psychology of tennis. http://www.aceupoursleeve.com/latimes/tennis.html So I am hoping, surely naively, that this corruption is a small thing, confined to the fringes. Say it ain't so, Joe!
In addition, in years past, tennis was considered a "gentleman's" game. There is no punching, no concussions, just lots of exercise and fun in the open air. And starting with Arthur Ashe and continuing on to the Williams sisters, it has even become a venue visibly promoting racial and ethnic equality.
Attending tournaments, I often feel I am stepping into a Ralph Lauren ad, seeing athletes at their best. So the idea that there could be some corruption - any corruption - in this particular sport really hurts.
No, I am not a bettor. I simply love the game, as do many, many others. Long ago, when I was still new to the game, I even wrote up an LA Times article on the psychology of tennis. http://www.aceupoursleeve.com/latimes/tennis.html So I am hoping, surely naively, that this corruption is a small thing, confined to the fringes. Say it ain't so, Joe!
4
A lot of the people you think are wealthy are deep in debt, sometimes to the mob in various countries. Australia is a haven for this sort of thing. It is very hard to turn a profit as a professional outside the top-50. Even there, players find vices and ways to lose their winnings and sponsorship money.
The money matches during practice are a big part of the circuit. Gambling is everywhere. It's no different than pool or poker. Side-bets and whatnot. Unfortunately for some it leads to desperation, and schemes to lose a few games where they are up 40-0. Some of the match fixing doesn't even involve anyone else but the players. They will lay off money to reduce the variance in income, and might take that further by telling their friends that they are going to get broken a certain game and to trade heavily on this info.
The money matches during practice are a big part of the circuit. Gambling is everywhere. It's no different than pool or poker. Side-bets and whatnot. Unfortunately for some it leads to desperation, and schemes to lose a few games where they are up 40-0. Some of the match fixing doesn't even involve anyone else but the players. They will lay off money to reduce the variance in income, and might take that further by telling their friends that they are going to get broken a certain game and to trade heavily on this info.
Joe I agree with you in that I believe it is confined to the fringes, but still disappointing and disturbing nonetheless. Great article, by the way, that you wrote and linked to in your comment.
I wonder how often these players have been drug tested in the past 12 months?
2
If the guy lost his last 10 double matches, it's obvious you're gonna bet against him.
2
Plus has a bum knee. Someone laid down a bunch of money looking for an easy win. It happens all the time in gambling. They probably stood to win only 1 dollar for every 8-10 bet, but if you bet enough it's easy money.
Money corrupts everything. Betting attracts crime. Oh, remember the days of amateur sports when athletes played just for the glory and spectators watched for the love of the game.
6
When were these fantastic glory days? When did they occur? I read of the old amateur matches in Tennis and Cricket and how the All England Tennis Club and Crickets governing body were exclusionary posh old boys clubs.
If you were poor you werent allowed in, much less if you were a minority.
How are those days better? Or the days when the Olympics were amateur and the sporting goods companies and the meet organizers made a killing and the athletes got nothing. Those were better days? How so?
Sports being amateur never stopped doping. Doping has been in sports forever as has betting and match fixing.
Returning to the days of amateur tennis wont solve any problems at all.
If you were poor you werent allowed in, much less if you were a minority.
How are those days better? Or the days when the Olympics were amateur and the sporting goods companies and the meet organizers made a killing and the athletes got nothing. Those were better days? How so?
Sports being amateur never stopped doping. Doping has been in sports forever as has betting and match fixing.
Returning to the days of amateur tennis wont solve any problems at all.
Why are these athletes for sale?
Because they need to make money. They aren't superstars and they won't get sponsorships or make millions in tour earnings. But they still need to pay airfare, hotel fees, buy shoes, eat, etc. And if you notice..they're old.
They will have to retire soon..with no skills other than playing tennis probably.
They will need money to train for new jobs..or just to transition to a non tennis based life. They need money for the same reasons everyone else needs money.
They will have to retire soon..with no skills other than playing tennis probably.
They will need money to train for new jobs..or just to transition to a non tennis based life. They need money for the same reasons everyone else needs money.
For those who dismiss the entire cheating as irrelevent and limited to inconsequential players, the BBC report included evidence that Top 10-ranked players had been involved in match-fixing.
For those who say gambling leads to cheating...look to Wall Street. The biggest multi-trillion-dollar gambling enterprise on Earth, and the cheating that goes on there.
For those who say gambling leads to cheating...look to Wall Street. The biggest multi-trillion-dollar gambling enterprise on Earth, and the cheating that goes on there.
19
Wall Street is not a sporting activity.
1
What a one sided article! While it mentions the rankings of Marrero and Aruabarrena, it does not mention that both Kubot and Hlavakova are ranked higher, and both are grand slam doubles champions, unlike their opponents. Including the 2014 doubles title for Kubot
12
Such match-ups happen. Only this one broke the charts on one-sided wagering. Res ipsa loquitur.
Match-fixing is an inevitable form of corruption resulting from the massive growth of the sports betting industry globally. Tennis is the perfect sport for it as a criminal gambler only has to convince one player to throw a match to get a guaranteed result, unlike with team sports. Organised crime figures will be attracted to sports like tennis if there are big bucks to be made.
There are currently several allegations against lower-ranked players on the tour. These players often stand to make more money corruptly from losing rather than winning matches. Match-fixing is a dire threat to the sport of tennis. Some players might willingly agree to throw matches for money but the involvement of criminal elements opens the door to ethical players being violently forced or threatened to lose big matches.
If tennis fans don't trust the results, the game loses credibility and interest. This is why tennis authorities must stop trying to hush up these allegations, start investigating them rigorously and deal harshly with any players found guilty. Their sport is at stake.
There are currently several allegations against lower-ranked players on the tour. These players often stand to make more money corruptly from losing rather than winning matches. Match-fixing is a dire threat to the sport of tennis. Some players might willingly agree to throw matches for money but the involvement of criminal elements opens the door to ethical players being violently forced or threatened to lose big matches.
If tennis fans don't trust the results, the game loses credibility and interest. This is why tennis authorities must stop trying to hush up these allegations, start investigating them rigorously and deal harshly with any players found guilty. Their sport is at stake.
12
Here are three of my favorite players from two of the European countries mentioned in this article. From Spain, I greatly admire and root for Garbine Muguruza Blanco and Rafael Nadal. From Italy my favorite is Flavia Penneta, who has since retired I seriously doubt that Muguruza and Nadal will throw matches.
3
"Never bet on anything that eats."
14
Hilarious! Gotta remember that one.
The only reason such a fuss is being raised is that it is the bookies who are being taken in for the money. If it was the punters no one would give a damn. Got to protect the integrity. Or is it profits?
3
How nice to kill two birds with one stone.
If the bookmakers are happy to bet on obscure events that are apparently to fix, that is their bad luck. They are not in the business to be public benefactors!
Tennis Integrity...Seriously! Let's see here --- PED's - HGH - NFL - Assorted drugs MLB -NHL (upper/lower body injury uh-huh) ---
ATP - Match Fixing?...Got to have the money to stay at those Tennis Training "resorts"... the entourage salaries ... See David Foster Wallace for complete coverage on tennis.
It all brings new meaning to the word "service".
ATP - Match Fixing?...Got to have the money to stay at those Tennis Training "resorts"... the entourage salaries ... See David Foster Wallace for complete coverage on tennis.
It all brings new meaning to the word "service".
1
Corruption is a slippery slope and the sports officials need to stamp it out, but not at the expense of fairness and due process for players. This article skirts around, but implies heavily, that one player didn't pull his weight and that that's suspicious when gamblers plunged on the outcome. But what were the forecast odds for the match? Who was expected to win, when rankings and past results were taken into account? What if someone astute saw the injured knee and rightly assumed it would affect the outcome? Here in Australia, we're reeling from a massive drugs in sport scandal affecting two of the biggest sports teams in the country (a domestic rugby team and an Australian Rules Football team). Players and coaches have been maligned by the flimsiest of evidence and the oddest of processes, careers destroyed and reputations and proud histories shredded. Don't start on this guy or this sport until you are really really sure about the evidence, because once the genie is out of the bottle, it's impossible to put it back....
4
Someone who thinks the details mentioned in the article are not relevant does not understand the first thing about tennis. The description of the match shows many signs of deliberate weakness from the Spaniard, like lots of double faults with the ball "curling softly on the net" (something good players rarely do) and "soft lobs" which were perfect to be smashed by his opponent. The article is very interesting, showing "how" one can throw a match.
36
Tennis matches at obscure tournaments have always been fixed. In the 70's and 80's "stars" got "appearance money" and had to promise they would stick around for at least two rounds. If their rankings were safe enough to endure a loss, money always flowed to their 3rd or 4th round opponents. The "stars" would lose, pocket the appearance money, and get a paid vacation. Some were so brazen they had already booked flights out before the matches.
6
I can't believe they were so obvious. At least keep it close.
5
Nobody fixes a match like this. They throw individual points or games and trade in play. What is much more likely here is that word spread of an injury, and everyone rushed out to bet. No different than a penny stock.
Pinnacle Sports is not where you want to bet for heavy action. It's a site for average punters. All of the real money is on the Betfair exchange markets. The markets function just like the stock market. You will frequently see forum posters complaining about certain players or matches that are known to throw matches. The main thing is that the abnormal markets don't usually occur before the match itself. It is all in play betting.
Pinnacle Sports is not where you want to bet for heavy action. It's a site for average punters. All of the real money is on the Betfair exchange markets. The markets function just like the stock market. You will frequently see forum posters complaining about certain players or matches that are known to throw matches. The main thing is that the abnormal markets don't usually occur before the match itself. It is all in play betting.
First, I know nothing about tennis and northing about this match or even this tournament. But I do know something about gamblers. The #1 thing you need to know about them is that whether they are betting on horses, a ballgame, or the arrival time of an impending blizzard . . . the one thing gamblers really care about is information -- real, perceived, or imagined. NOTHING will increase a gambler's willingness to bet than his belief that he has an edge, i.e. knowledge that no one else has. If in fact word got out that an injury would impact the least interesting match in Australian history, someone would start betting. And if that word got around some more, it would be an avalanche. Kinda like a lot of gambling on equities and commodities. Which isn't to say, of course, that the fix wasn't in on this tennis match. But it's the first thing to consider.
28
Brilliant post. Thank you.
I expect that it went over the heads of most readers and their whiny, shoot-first-aim-later, pre-conceived views on just about everything.
I am shocked that the moderators have not made it an NYT Pick (I've noticed, however, that those seem to be reserved for posts that validate the reporter's narrative).
I expect that it went over the heads of most readers and their whiny, shoot-first-aim-later, pre-conceived views on just about everything.
I am shocked that the moderators have not made it an NYT Pick (I've noticed, however, that those seem to be reserved for posts that validate the reporter's narrative).
3
[[the least interesting match in Australian history]]
Ha! My thought exactly.
Ha! My thought exactly.
I don't doubt Mr. Ferguson's explanation of why this match might just be gamblers gambling and not cheating. But the article mentions other reasons why fixing is suspected. I assume the betting website operators also know about gamblers as well as fixed bets. Why would they care if a fixed bet resulted in more website action unless they spotted a pattern that ultimately threatens the integrity of online betting, which depends upon repeat business?
I doubt if that flew over anyone's head, except maybe yourself. A player with similar skewed betting in four previous matches; an inability to play up to his rank as the 30th best player, and 5th best doubles player when playing against a woman; a power player who powder puffs lobs, and weak play insured their loss; a player with an open "secret" that he's injured; and the late heavy bets on their opponents despite reversed odds and cheaper bets in their favor. Seems like an easy jury deliberation that doesn't make it to lunch.
And I agree about "whiny, shoot first aim later, preconceived views on just about everything." That describes your comment as well. Maybe you like reading comments and skipped the article. Maybe you don't read The Times' Pick very closely but there's no shortage of dissenting views. I think critical posts get picked just because they disagree, whether or not they're persuasive or well argued. And the 1st Amendment applies to The NYT as well. It's their pick, not yours. Shocked? Really?
I doubt if that flew over anyone's head, except maybe yourself. A player with similar skewed betting in four previous matches; an inability to play up to his rank as the 30th best player, and 5th best doubles player when playing against a woman; a power player who powder puffs lobs, and weak play insured their loss; a player with an open "secret" that he's injured; and the late heavy bets on their opponents despite reversed odds and cheaper bets in their favor. Seems like an easy jury deliberation that doesn't make it to lunch.
And I agree about "whiny, shoot first aim later, preconceived views on just about everything." That describes your comment as well. Maybe you like reading comments and skipped the article. Maybe you don't read The Times' Pick very closely but there's no shortage of dissenting views. I think critical posts get picked just because they disagree, whether or not they're persuasive or well argued. And the 1st Amendment applies to The NYT as well. It's their pick, not yours. Shocked? Really?
Why can't fans watch a sporting event without betting on the outcome.
I haven't followed baseball [or other sports] in years but when I was much younger , teens, I just enjoyed watching a game or even listening on the radio.
I haven't followed baseball [or other sports] in years but when I was much younger , teens, I just enjoyed watching a game or even listening on the radio.
5
For some people gambling makes a sport more exciting. I guess you're not a gambler.
Agree - I didn't even realize there WAS betting on tennis!
I wish I hadn't seen the article.
I wish I hadn't seen the article.
4
Because the people betting are not fans. They are gamblers.
14
Now is the perfect time to throw a match! The ITF has vehemently denied that match fixing is a problem so they are not about to go after players now and admit they were wrong. Frankly, I'm looking at every match with an odd score line suspiciously.
2
Why did I think there would be interesting things in the comments.
11
I hope if this article about throwing games is true, it does not flow over to singles that I enjoy viewing on the Tennis Channel. Somehow I find it hard to trust the three European countries mentioned in this article about mixed matches cheating.
You don't trust the countries? What!
2
So you don't trust Spain (the country of the losing pair) or Poland and the Czech Republic (the countries of the winning pair) because... why? Players don't represent their countries in the Australian Open, so you're really saying you don't trust Spaniards, Poles or Czechs as individuals. That's roughly 130m people who you don't trust. Would it be quicker for you to list who you do trust?
5
The players, and the game, could benefit from a players union. They might not be so susceptible to cheating if the purses were not so top heavy. Also, the tournament revenue would be more equitably shared.
7
Well, think about it, professional sports is basically a waste of time. Do something personally productive with your time. Make your life or the life of others better. Really, you've got a self limiting view of things if you pay attention to professional sports.
7
Our political leaders are owned by the oligarchs. Why not our so called sports stars?
6
Is anyone surprised? Do you think that tennis is the only sport? Betting leads to cheating. Period.
8
Interesting story. Did Pinnacle and Betfair honor the suspicious bets on Hlavackova and Kubot?
6
Maybe the most difficult sport to prove fixing. Two possible winners. Individual multi point multi games. Easier than boxing or golf.
1
Sounds like someone was cheating to me. But that is just a reflection based on this article. Perhaps they needed better rackets?
I think the rackets are operating just fine.
11
Who the hell bets good money on a mixed doubles tennis match? Gamblers are some strange people. I really wish the tennis authorities would name some names so fans will know that the bad guys are not the major players but the marginal ones who don't really care about the reputation of tennis, only money.
40
If the player tipped someone he was injured, but not the tournament, bettors would put money on their opponents. At Wimbledon they had book makers on site for years where you could place bets on such obscure things as sets won, games won, aces etc. Gamblers look to bet, and win, they do not care about the sport.
2
Leighton Hewitt is a major player and suspicion has been cast upon him. And I wouldn't put it past him to do that.
Its not major or minor players..its whoever wants the money that badly.
Its not major or minor players..its whoever wants the money that badly.
People bet on anything. Anything where you can guarantee an audience. The Aus Open has an audience. Every player in every match will have odds on his/her victory. So when the numbers start getting suspicious..that means something is up. And I think this guys excuse is ridiculous. Who is going to be following him around? He got caught ..its as simple as that. Maybe people should see if he bet against himself and his teammate..or if they both did.
The Australian Open is played in Melbourne, the capital city of the Australian state of Victoria. Voctoria is not a province.
Original report on players involved in past gambling activity noted they were mostly Russian, Italian and Spanish. Marrero falls right into that particular.
2
Why all the details about specific points and shots, which are absolutely meaningless in this context? Why the push notification of breaking news when this is all still conjecture?
There is a clear effort recently to smear the sport of tennis over this issue, and yet the other piece is old news and this one is pre-news. Even if these allegations are true today, these are fringe players who nobody should be betting on, anyway.
In fact, even if the top players cared so little for the sport that they threw matches, I would almost say that's their right, having earned their place to throw away. The true problems are the gamblers and the fixers. Without the betting industry, there would be no issue here. Nobody should have any reason to bet on this stuff, or be upset if they didn't have all the inside information. That's why it is illegal here.
Finally, it should be pointed out that Pinnacle halted betting out of concern for their bottom line and their reputation, not out of any respect for the integrity of the sport. They, after all, represent the sole threat to that integrity.
There is a clear effort recently to smear the sport of tennis over this issue, and yet the other piece is old news and this one is pre-news. Even if these allegations are true today, these are fringe players who nobody should be betting on, anyway.
In fact, even if the top players cared so little for the sport that they threw matches, I would almost say that's their right, having earned their place to throw away. The true problems are the gamblers and the fixers. Without the betting industry, there would be no issue here. Nobody should have any reason to bet on this stuff, or be upset if they didn't have all the inside information. That's why it is illegal here.
Finally, it should be pointed out that Pinnacle halted betting out of concern for their bottom line and their reputation, not out of any respect for the integrity of the sport. They, after all, represent the sole threat to that integrity.
3
You are being unfair to the reporter:
"Why all the details about specific points and shots, which are absolutely meaningless in this context?"--far from meaningless,as the multiple double faults and misplays by Marrero support the claim of match fixing.
"In fact, even if the top players cared so little for the sport that they threw matches, I would almost say that's their right, having earned their place to throw away."--not by a long shot. Throwing matches cheats the fans who pay to watch in person or take the time to watch on tv; the tournament and its sponsors who pay the players to show up on the basis they will try hard; and competitors on the other side of the draw, who deserve to face opponents who have not been handed n easy win.
"Why all the details about specific points and shots, which are absolutely meaningless in this context?"--far from meaningless,as the multiple double faults and misplays by Marrero support the claim of match fixing.
"In fact, even if the top players cared so little for the sport that they threw matches, I would almost say that's their right, having earned their place to throw away."--not by a long shot. Throwing matches cheats the fans who pay to watch in person or take the time to watch on tv; the tournament and its sponsors who pay the players to show up on the basis they will try hard; and competitors on the other side of the draw, who deserve to face opponents who have not been handed n easy win.
31
I wonder why someone who has so little understanding of tennis or betting would feel the need to comment on this article.
Any athlete who throws a match or shaves points or anything like that is a cheater, pure and simple. The notion that they have a "right" to throw matches is silly. This isn't WWE professional wrestling.
While you may blame the "betting industry" for this problem, truth is that this probably wouldn't have been detected if they didn't monitor such things and have their own money at stake.
Any athlete who throws a match or shaves points or anything like that is a cheater, pure and simple. The notion that they have a "right" to throw matches is silly. This isn't WWE professional wrestling.
While you may blame the "betting industry" for this problem, truth is that this probably wouldn't have been detected if they didn't monitor such things and have their own money at stake.
33
I disagree with almost every point you make.
This problem seems more than conjecture.
Also regarding the players, what do you mean by "that's their right, having earned their place to throw away"?
The problem is not only the gamblers and the fixers. Players who throw matches are a part of this too.
There is a bigger issue and I'm guessing we are going to learn a lot more soon, thanks in no small part to journalists who care.
This problem seems more than conjecture.
Also regarding the players, what do you mean by "that's their right, having earned their place to throw away"?
The problem is not only the gamblers and the fixers. Players who throw matches are a part of this too.
There is a bigger issue and I'm guessing we are going to learn a lot more soon, thanks in no small part to journalists who care.
14
Am I naive in thinking that there was a time when sports stars played for the love of the game? Or is the opportunity to make a quick buck bound to corrupt?
6
Sure, when they were 10 years old they played for the love of it. They have mortgages to pay just like everybody else.
1
as a tennis fan, I find this disgusting. The ATP/ITF/WTA and Grand Slams MUST coordinate a thoroughly investigation into these allegations.
It is absurd that such organizations that govern the sport keep hiding their heads under the sand to escape from the potential explosive findings that will appear.
To me, there is no question that the ATP/ITF/WTA and Grand Slams are all in collusion with the betting companies. After all, it won't be the first that they try to hide the truth from the public.
It is absurd that such organizations that govern the sport keep hiding their heads under the sand to escape from the potential explosive findings that will appear.
To me, there is no question that the ATP/ITF/WTA and Grand Slams are all in collusion with the betting companies. After all, it won't be the first that they try to hide the truth from the public.
11
Who would have guessed. Sports theater served up on a wad of money.
It is so discouraging to keep finding wrongdoing in sports, whether match-fixing, drug use, or others. It would be great to have sports as a venue in which people could strive to better themselves individually, cooperate as teams, and enjoy some honest competition.
2
That would be very easy - just get the money out and go back to amateur sports. Where big money is involved there will always be corruption, sports included.
1
Go back to amateur sports? So only rich folks will be able to play sports? And sports being amateur wont stop betting. People bet on anything. And a poor amateur is FAR more likely to throw a match if you offer them some money, or a car.
Having amateur status wont prevent betting or match fixing.
Having rigorous controls and harsh penalties is what will kill match fixing. Assuming of course that the officials of the Sport arent themselves taking a cut of the money. That might be an unfounded assumption.
Having amateur status wont prevent betting or match fixing.
Having rigorous controls and harsh penalties is what will kill match fixing. Assuming of course that the officials of the Sport arent themselves taking a cut of the money. That might be an unfounded assumption.
Why is anyone surprised? Corruption is part of every sport, it was just a matter of time before tennis was under scrutiny.
1
Not every sport, just professional big-money sport. There is no corruption in my kid's school netball league.
Corruption will always be prevalent in any activity involving money or power. Sports is no different. New York politicians are still the most corrupt of any sport though. Every time Iliinois or Michigan or D.C goes for the top spot, we make sure we stay there.
How do you know? How do you know some parent doesnt want their kid to succeed so badly they pay an opposing team player to miss a few shots? Meh.. Me I want to see high quality competition..so I dont want to watch those types of sporting competitions.
1
“We saw a small number of people placing a large amount of money,” Blume said.
Game, set, match.
Game, set, match.
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