Tennis Fixing Scandal: Top Players Involved

[Dom Heffner]

http://www.buzzfeed.com/heidiblake/the-tennis-racket#.fnkD6jkmp


Secret files exposing evidence of widespread match-fixing by players at the upper level of world tennis can today be revealed by BuzzFeed News and the BBC.

The sport's governing bodies have been warned repeatedly about a core group of 16 players – all of whom have ranked in the top 50 – but none have faced any sanctions and more than half of them will begin playing at the Australian Open on Monday.

One source says grand slam champion involved.

[Redsfaithful]

I said on Twitter - what is the point of this if they aren't going to name names?

Tennis seems like a fairly corrupt sport, I'm not sure I expect any of this to change.

[Dom Heffner]

I said on Twitter - what is the point of this if they aren't going to name names?

Tennis seems like a fairly corrupt sport, I'm not sure I expect any of this to change.

It does seem odd. Maybe they get leaked.

[WrongVerb]

It does seem odd. Maybe they get leaked.

In something like this, if a player is going to be accused, I hope it isn't a leak. I hope whoever has info comes out and says it.

An aside: my uncle is a long time tennis pro and has some loose connections to that world. I'll be curious to talk to him about this as it unfolds.

[Bob Sheed]

Balls in their court now though, I guess.

[Dom Heffner]

Balls in their court now though, I guess.

I think that's what the people releasing this are doing. Maybe not throw the names out there first unless they don't do anything.

[Dom Heffner]

In something like this, if a player is going to be accused, I hope it isn't a leak. I hope whoever has info comes out and says it.

An aside: my uncle is a long time tennis pro and has some loose connections to that world. I'll be curious to talk to him about this as it unfolds.

I agree. The problem with this is, as the article says, it is easy to catch, impossible to prove.

[RiverRat13]

Balls in their court now though, I guess.

The whole thing's a racket.

[Brutus]

Balls in their court now though, I guess.


The whole thing's a racket.

Must.Resist.Urge.

[gonelong]

Must.Resist.Urge.

I don't fault you for feeling this way.

[Dom Heffner]

I don't fault you for feeling this way.

You are an ace for not doing so....

[Redsfaithful]

It does seem odd. Maybe they get leaked.

It is, and the more I think about it the less impressed I am by this report. It's mostly a rehash of stuff that was already known.

Deadspin is having a field day with Djokovic talking about being offered $200k to throw a match, and that's something he has talked about for years. I'm waiting for something new.

[Chip R]

Is tanking the same as fixing? I don't follow the sport terribly close but you see superstars lose to lower seeded players in the early rounds of a non-major tournament in straight sets. Or they pull out of a tournament early due to illness or injury and you see them out partying that evening. That leads me to believe that they are collecting their appearance fees and either faking an injury or losing intentionally to save themselves for the majors. If they aren't doing it for the money is it such a sin?

[Assembly Hall]

Must.Resist.Urge.

Game. Set. Match.

[Dom Heffner]

It is, and the more I think about it the less impressed I am by this report. It's mostly a rehash of stuff that was already known.

Deadspin is having a field day with Djokovic talking about being offered $200k to throw a match, and that's something he has talked about for years. I'm waiting for something new.

I'm not sure if the report was in or out. It may well be right on the line.

Which is in, I guess.

[Strikes Out Looking]

Love this thread!

[marcshoe]

Love this thread!

So what? That means nothing.

[Dom Heffner]

So what? That means nothing.

He's making quite a racquet.

[RedTeamGo!]

What a djokavic

[Dom Heffner]

What a djokavic

Is that a backhanded compliment?

[traderumor]

Is tanking the same as fixing? I don't follow the sport terribly close but you see superstars lose to lower seeded players in the early rounds of a non-major tournament in straight sets. Or they pull out of a tournament early due to illness or injury and you see them out partying that evening. That leads me to believe that they are collecting their appearance fees and either faking an injury or losing intentionally to save themselves for the majors. If they aren't doing it for the money is it such a sin?

It's problematic for paying fans and the integrity of the matches. It isn't like a team sport where you might attend a game where your favorite player sits for rest. If you are going to compete, it is a given that doing your best is expected. Less than that certainly leaves a player open to being criticized as having low integrity and has not earned whatever the keep is. In a literal sense, its fraud if they are being paid to be there.

[Boston Red]

Did Venus throw her match last night, or is she just old and slow now?

[Hoosier Red]

It's problematic for paying fans and the integrity of the matches. It isn't like a team sport where you might attend a game where your favorite player sits for rest. If you are going to compete, it is a given that doing your best is expected. Less than that certainly leaves a player open to being criticized as having low integrity and has not earned whatever the keep is. In a literal sense, its fraud if they are being paid to be there.

This is another thing where the international culture is dramatically different than the culture in the US. I remember reading about the appearance fees they pay players on the European Golf tour that tournaments in the US wouldn't touch with a fifty foot pole.

Not sure, but I think it's similar in that the US tournaments in tennis don't pay an appearance fee whereas the ones around the rest of the world will happily fork over the dough just to get a top pro to play in their tournament.

Of course the difference is that unlike golf where 75% of the Grand Slams and probably 80% of the next tier's most prestigious tournaments are stateside, tennis only plays 25% to 33% of it's schedule in the US.

- - - Updated - - -


Did Venus throw her match last night, or is she just old and slow now?

Yes

[Raisor]

I wonder who is at fault?

[Assembly Hall]

I wonder who is at fault?

Quite a volley going on here.

[Raisor]

I would hope they would have had all their facts set before they lobbed this across the 'net.

[Redsfaithful]

Did Venus throw her match last night, or is she just old and slow now?

Huge accomplishment for her just getting back into the top 10, she has a lot of health problems.

[Assembly Hall]

I really dont know what to think of this "fiasco". The way the sport is set up it would be pretty dang easy to "take a dive" for some additional cash. Maybe the tennis world can get the FIFA people to straighten it all out?

[texasdave]

I wonder what the baseline is in determining if a match has been fixed or not?

[Raisor]

They need to take a hard line and get this in front of a judge.

[Chip R]

It doesn't sound like people are going to let this go.

[Raisor]

It doesn't sound like people are going to let this go.

You know you love it.

[WrongVerb]

Has anyone made any tennis puns yet?

Either way, I hope the reporters went balls out before they put this in the can. Otherwise they're going to court lawsuits.

[Raisor]

Has anyone made any tennis puns yet?

Either way, I hope the reporters went balls out before they put this in the can. Otherwise they're going to court lawsuits.


This is aces

[Assembly Hall]

This is aces

The "cyclops" was wrong?

[Rojo]

Has anyone made any tennis puns yet?

Scandal anyone?

Not really a pun, but that's all I got.

[gonelong]

Has anyone made any tennis puns yet? .

I dunno. Anybody want to head out to Denny's for a Grand Slam?

GL

[Dom Heffner]

It's spin a long thread.

Some of you are really stringing this along.

[wolfboy]

It's spin a long thread.

Some of you are really stringing this along.

Just goes to show the net impact of this "scandal" has been minimal.

[Raisor]

Just goes to show the net impact of this "scandal" has been minimal.

It's really in the player's court now and the shoes are on the other foot.

[Dom Heffner]

Q: What do you call a girl standing in the middle of a tennis court?
A: Annette

Q: Why should you never fall in love with a tennis player?
A: To them, "Love" means nothing.

[Dom Heffner]

While out one morning in the park, a jogger found a brand new tennis ball, and seeing no one around it might belong to, he slipped it into the pocket of his shorts. Later, on his way home, he stopped at the pedestrian crossing, waiting for the lights to change. A blonde girl standing next to him eyed the large bulge in his shorts. "What's that?" she asked, her eyes gleaming with lust. "Tennis ball," came the breathless reply. "Oh," said the blonde sympathetically, "that must be painful.... I had tennis elbow once."

http://www.jokes4us.com/sportsjokes/tennisjokes.html

[texasdave]

When two tennis players are romantically involved it is considered a courtship.

[Raisor]

Just keep serving them up

[WrongVerb]

I just hope the female tennis players don't skirt this issue.

[Dom Heffner]

I'm wondering what the net gain of this discussion has been.

[texasdave]

I'm wondering what the net gain of this discussion has been.

Not sue about any net gain, but I am certain we are reaching the break point.

[Dom Heffner]

Not sue about any net gain, but I am certain we are reaching the break point.

That may be, but from a purely entertainment standpoint, tennis socks it to some other sports we talk about here.

[wolfboy]

That may be, but from a purely entertainment standpoint, tennis socks it to some other sports we talk about here.

It serves its purpose.

[WrongVerb]

That may be, but from a purely entertainment standpoint, tennis socks it to some other sports we talk about here.

We certainly don't skirt the issues.

[Dom Heffner]

We certainly don't skirt the issues.

I think that's the way the ball bounces.

[Rojo]

A: To them, "Love" means nothing.

And they'll want an Open relationship.

[Dom Heffner]

And they'll want an Open relationship.

Or mixed doubles.

[WrongVerb]

Or mixed doubles.

Certainly not singles. Although those aren't hard to court, unless they have feet of clay, or they think the grass is greener on the other side.

[Dom Heffner]

Certainly not singles. Although those aren't hard to court, unless they have feet of clay, or they think the grass is greener on the other side.

Maybe more so at the baseline. There would certainly be an advantage to that.

[wolfboy]

This thread needs a good pun-fixing scandal.

[Dom Heffner]

This thread needs a good pun-fixing scandal.

You act like it's our fault.

[Raisor]

You act like it's our fault.

double fault

[Dom Heffner]

double fault

I once had a girlfriend who blamed the ball boy.

Which is sort of redundant.

In all seriousness, we may need an umpire to settle this...we need some sort of tiebreaker.

[texasdave]

I once had a girlfriend who blamed the ball boy.

Which is sort of redundant.

In all seriousness, we may need an umpire to settle this...we need some sort of tiebreaker.

If you're GAME, just SET a time and place and we can MATCH wits. :)

[Chip R]

You guys are having a deuce of a time coming up with new puns.

[Dom Heffner]

You guys are having a deuce of a time coming up with new puns.

I'm surprised at how many posters have followed through.

[wolfboy]

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/ce/a9/6e/cea96ed0c3d2b3eb7001879ba30c8e27.jpg

[gonelong]

I'm surprised at how many posters have followed through.

Now you guys are just stringing this along, I can feel it in my gut.

[Dom Heffner]

All this quiet, please.

Maybe people are having trouble match-ing the puns.

[Dom Heffner]

I'm a little upset that this thread has fallen flat.

[Raisor]

I'm a little upset that this thread has fallen flat.

I assume the case is a grand slam or else the accusers are going to have to retire.

[Chip R]

I'm a little upset that this thread has fallen flat.

Needs a little more bounce to it.

[Dom Heffner]

Needs a little more bounce to it.

To get it to the top, spin it a little differently, maybe? Is that the advantage you are suggesting? Love it.

[Raisor]

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/tennis/2016/03/07/maria-sharapova-failed-drug-test/81446346/

[JaxRed]

I'm inclined to believe Sharapova in this case because:

1) The drug only went on the banned list January 1
2) She's pretty hot

[IslandRed]

I'm inclined to believe Sharapova in this case because:

1) The drug only went on the banned list January 1
2) She's pretty hot

:cool:

There's a difference between an explanation and an excuse, and to be fair, her explanation was perfectly reasonable and she didn't ask to be excused. And she shouldn't be, since that's a bad precedent to set. At the same time, if the suspension (whenever it's announced) seems overly harsh I'm sure she'll appeal -- not that she was suspended, but for how long.

[Raisor]

It's two years if they believe her and four years if they don't.

[dabvu2498]

It's two years if they believe her and four years if they don't.

I did a tad bit of research on this medication when I heard it was used to treat heart-related conditions. I'd say her best hope is that she was prescribed it 10 years ago when she was young enough not to understand the implications of it.

My basic understanding of this medication is that if you were suffering from symptoms that required this course of treatment for ten years, you would not also be able to play world-class tennis.

The number of Eastern European athletes who have tested positive for this particular med just in the last two months also makes me super leery of her story.

* Note: I am not a doctor, nor did I sleep at a Holiday Inn Express.

[Redsfaithful]

She was doping on purpose.

There's clear steroid use in women's tennis. Google Sam Stosur. It's unclear to me how Sharapova gets nailed for years while Stosur is viewed as clean.

[wolfboy]

I did a tad bit of research on this medication when I heard it was used to treat heart-related conditions. I'd say her best hope is that she was prescribed it 10 years ago when she was young enough not to understand the implications of it.

My basic understanding of this medication is that if you were suffering from symptoms that required this course of treatment for ten years, you would not also be able to play world-class tennis.

The number of Eastern European athletes who have tested positive for this particular med just in the last two months also makes me super leery of her story.

* Note: I am not a doctor, nor did I sleep at a Holiday Inn Express.

Yes, but have you considered:

2*) She's pretty hot



*1 on my list for the official record.

[Raisor]

What's amazing is Maria is only 28.

She's been around forever.

[wolfboy]

What's amazing is Maria is only 28.

She's been around forever.

Which leads me to my next point: she's still pretty hot. All the objective evidence is gathering in her favor.