By DPA
New York : Nikolay Davydenko said the Russian mafia would have little interest in trying to control the outcome of his tennis matches as he barely spent any time in the country.
“I don’t live in Moscow, I don’t know really guys from mafia in Russia,” said the fourth seed after winning in his opening match Monday at the US Open.
“I’ve lived in Germany since I was 15, and I don’t know any German mafia either,” he joked after a fortnight of pressure following allegations that a July match that he lost in Poland may have been rigged.
Davydenko was cited for a suspicious mid-match injury withdrawal in Poland.
The ATP has launched an investigation after online betting on the second-round contest was halted due to a flood of seven million dollars to eventual winner Martin Vassallo-Arguello of Argentina.
Davydenko quit in the third set with a foot injury.
Online agency Betfair refused pay-outs on the match, citing money flowing at 10 times the normal amount.
The US Open has hired a private firm to monitor any potential gambling activity around the grounds at the final Grand Slam event of the season.
Davydenko, well aware of a huge Russian presence in the New York area, suggested that locals might know more than he would.
“Maybe if you go now to Brooklyn, you find Russian mafia here in New York. I’ve been in Moscow only for Davis Cup and for Kremlin Cup, nothing else.”
Davydenko, who plays the heaviest schedule of any top pro, admitted that it is tough for him to deal with his game since the allegations surfaced.
“I need to concentrate now on tennis, every week there is a tournament.”
He is due to play at the China Open in Beijing from Sep 10 and will then take two weeks off. During that period he is likely to be interviewed by investigators probing the suspicious match that started it all.
“I can’t do anything now, and ATP doesn’t try to push me also. For me, it’s very good. I can play tennis now.”
The ATP is working with British horse racing authorities in the match investigation as well as with Betfair, which has an agreement with the men’s tour about highlighting unusual betting activity for matches.