Victoria Police detectives questioned local tennis figures last week about which matches could be fixed in the first round of the Australian Open, only days before an explosive report was released that threatened to expose festering corruption in the sport.
Fairfax Media can reveal that current and former professional players and coaches believe match-fixing is rife in the sport, with an Australian professional who has been ranked in the top 70 telling a coach he was approached weekly by crime figures asking him to throw matches.
One former player says authorities have been complicit in the corruption, by failing to train junior players about the perils of match-fixing; giving former players little impetus to report corruption, as it could lessen their chances of a career in the sport after they retire; and not doing enough to prevent suspected fixers entering locker rooms, where they can prey on vulnerable, lowly-ranked players.
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