By DPA
Melbourne : Tennis comes a comfortable third among the punting public, with bets on the sport falling just behind top draw horse racing and football.
This was announced by the experts in a London conference on Integrity in Sport, staged as men’s tennis battles to ensure no match fixing intrudes into the sport.
Experts say the rise of tennis popularity in former non-playing nations of eastern Europe has been aided by the ease of punting online.
Men’s tennis has been in minor crisis since summer, when world number four Nikolay Davydenko quit a match in Poland after winning the first set and losing the second. As huge money – around $7 million – swung over to opponent Martin Vassallo Arguello, online agency Betfair voided the match for apparent suspicious circumstances.
Things haven’t been the same since on the ATP, with various crackdowns, sanctions and even the suspension of three Italian players for making small, online bets.
“It (the Davydenko case) was probably the most extreme case of betting patterns that we have ever seen,” a Betfair official told the conference. “If customers feel the sport isn’t clean, then we lose their business.”
Davydenko proclaims his innocence, saying he quit the match with a well-documented foot injury.
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Kidman keeps her tennis visits short
Melbourne: Pregnant Hollywood superstar Nicole Kidman is making the most of her time in Melbourne, attending three sessions in succession at the Australian Open.
But the mum-to-be has not been a stayer, even with country singer husband Keith Urban by her side in Row A of the Rod Laver arena VIP box.
The pair watched Monday night as the Serbian third seed Novak Djokovic dispatched local favourite Lleyton Hewitt, but the lightly attired Kidman left after less than half an hour of action due to the chill in the night air, Melbourne media reported.
While she lasted, she used her husband’s jacket for warmth, declining the offer of an official tournament blanket. The pair returned for Tuesday matches and was due for a day at the courts Wednesday.
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Tsonga to suck up his emotion for Nadal meeting
Melbourne: After nearly breaking down in tears on reaching the Australian Open semi-finals Frenchman Jo-Wilfriend Tsonga will now bury his emotions as he faces the mighty Spaniard Rafael Nadal.
Tsonga, who many say brings back memories of a young Mohammed Ali, will be quick to adjust before the biggest match of his career.
“He has two arms and two legs like me, so we will see on the court,” said Tsonga, whose previous Grand Slam best was the Wimbledon fourth round last season.
Second seed Nadal has yet to drop a set, as he motors toward a possible final with Roger Federer.
“Like every match before, I will do like every time I do before, to be relaxed on the court, and we will see what happens,” Tsonga said. “I have a lot of image in my head, it’s very big. It’s a lot of emotion.”