SYDNEY — Big financial incentives for gamblers, small tournaments of little consequence to top players and the ease of fixing the outcome of a one-on-one sport have helped turn world tennis into a haven for match-fixers, according to experts and industry insiders.
Tennis was rocked on Monday by allegations that the game's authorities have failed to deal with widespread match-fixing, just as the Australian Open, the first grand slam tournament of the year, kicked off in Melbourne.
Multiple sources told Reuters that the revelation was no surprise to those who closely follow the sport, where, out of the spotlight at small tournaments around the world, the temptations are obvious and malfeasance very difficult to prove.