Tennis Star Finds Online Gambling Rumors Haunt Him
Nikolay Davydenko has found that a reputation once sullied by whispers of wagering scandals is not so easily polished. Once again, Davydenko found himself the victim of an upset at a major tournament. This is not unusual, as a loss to almost any player on the professional tennis tour would be an upset, Davydenko being the fifth-ranked player in the world.
What continues to grind on Davydenko nerves are the questions about fixes and match-throwing, inquiries rarely if ever heard by any of the other premier players in the world. These doubts about Davydenko first surfaced over a year ago, when an early-round loss to a field player was accompanied by one-sided betting against Davy denko, the heavy favorite.
Online casinos notified the Association of Tennis Professionals of the irregularity, suspecting that dishonest play may have been used to tarnish the match and the sport. Over $7 million had been bet against Davydenko through Internet gambling venues.
Since then suspicion has been Davydenko's constant companion. Another first-round loss, this time at Wimbledon to Benjamin Becker, roused even more cries, even as tennis acted to create its own team of investigators and implemented harsh new anti-gambling rules.
Now a fourth-round loss to Gilles Muller, the world's 130th best player, at the U.S. Open has started the jackals at Davydenko's heels once again. Davy denko has admitted being physically and emotionally worn down by the suspicions surrounding him. Even as a year-long probe is said to be near completion without any evidence against the tennis star, the prospect of never being fully trusted again lies ahead for Davydenko.
