Herald Sun (Melbourne, Australia)
July 22, 2005 Friday

Rigging claims dismissed

by Leo Schlink

RUSSIAN Nikolay Davydenko and Armenian Sargis Sargsian have been
cleared of match-fixing allegations.

The pair’s match in Gstaad, Switzerland, on July 4 was investigated
after complaints from bookmakers, but “no improprieties” were
uncovered by ATP officials.

ATP vice-president David Higdon said the match had been looked into
and there were no issues.

Website betting agency Onthepunt.com claimed the match between
Davydenko and Sargsian was suspicious.

“The sport of professional tennis is set to be further tarnished as
more evidence of suspected match-fixing on the ATP Tour surfaces,”
the Onthepunt.com website said.

“The latest match that has raised the eyebrows of bookmakers was
played between two good friends, Nikolay Davydenko and Sargis
Sargsian, at Gstaad on July 4. Sargsian was declared the winner of
the match when Davydenko sensationally retired while leading 6-1 1-0.

“Sargsian started the match as a big underdog at odds of up to $6.50.

“Davydenko cited a wrist injury for the retirement.

“One Europe-based bookmaker became suspect (sic) when a 4000 (euro)
bet was placed on Sargsian just five minutes before the match was due
to start. It is believed the bookmaker traced the IP address of the
betting account to the official player hotel in Gstaad.”

The website alleged some bookmakers had not fielded on the match
because of “irregularities surrounding previous matches involving
Sargisian”.

ATP officials monitored the match closely and were aware both players
carried established injuries into the contest.

Both players were specifically watched for “lack of effort” and there
were no reports from the match.

But Onthepunt.com insists there was something amiss.

“The timing of the latest controversy could not have come at a worse
time for red-faced ATP executives who have allowed a tournament in
Austria next week to be sponsored by one of Europe’s largest tennis
bookmakers,” the website said.

Georgian Irakli Labadze was this year summoned to appear before an
Austrian court to face questions over alleged match-fixing last
season in a match with Julian Knowle.

Austrian Knowle upset fourth seed Labadze 7-5 4-6 6-2.

Martin Fuehrer, identified by prosecutors as a friend of Labadze’s,
sued a betting company in Korneuburg, Austria, after it refused to
pay out on a $23,000 winning bet against the Georgian. The company
claims to have evidence Fuehrer knew Labadze would lose.