World Number One, Novak Djokovic, insists there is ‘no real proof’ of match-fixing among tennis’ top players but has revealed he was targetted to throw a game early in his career.
Tennis authorities on Monday also hosed down claims evidence of widespread fixing had been suppressed following an incendiary media report on corruption in the sport.
A joint BBC-BuzzFeed investigation says current and past top-50 players, including several at this month’s Australian Open, are suspected match-fixers.
The report says a strong body of evidence was behind a referral of a core group of 16 men – including grand slam winners – to the Tennis Integrity Unit (TIU) in 2008.
No players are named in the report and none have faced sanction.
Djokovic, speaking after his first-round victory at the Australian Open, said the allegations were just that.
“I don’t think the shadow is cast over our sport,” he said.
“There’s no real proof or evidence yet of any active players … as long as it’s like that, it’s just speculation.
“We have to keep it that way.”
Despite playing down the corruption claims, Djokovic admitted he was targetted in 2007 to throw a first-round match in St Petersburg.
“I was not approached directly. I was approached through people that were working with me at that time,” he said.
“Of course, we threw it away right away. It didn’t even get to me. The guy that was trying to talk to me didn’t even get to me directly. There was nothing out of it.”
ATP president Chris Kermode dismissed suggestions the sport didn’t take match-fixing seriously.
“Tennis authorities absolutely reject any suggestion that evidence of match fixing has been suppressed for any reason or isn’t being thoroughly investigated,” he said.
“All of us here in tennis are absolutely committed to stamp out any form of corrupt conduct in our sport.
“There is a zero tolerance policy on this. We are not complacent, we are very vigilant.”
