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SPORTSTuesday 19 January 2016
Federer: Australian Open:
What to Watch on Tuesday
It’s time to name names over match fixing
JUSTIN BERGMAN sport,” Federer added. “So es. Since then, the reports DENNIS PASSA va. “I feel good. Feel-
how high up does it go? said, the ATP has repeated- AP Sports Writer ing excited,” the former
Associated Press The higher it goes, the more ly been warned by book- MELBOURNE, Australia No. 1-ranked Azarenka
surprised I would be.” makers, foreign police and (AP) — Day Two at the said. She’s never played
MELBOURNE, Australia ATP chairman Chris Ker- other investigators about Australian Open features Van Uytvanck, and when
mode appeared at a news many of the same players, a two-time former cham- asked if she knew much
(AP) — Roger Federer has conference to reject the but hasn’t taken any ac- pion with a renewed about her opponent, she
assertion that match-fixing tion against them. spring in her step, a hard- said: “Not very much. I
heard enough speculation had gone unchecked in Kermode said the integ- luck former finalist (times think I saw a little bit of
four) and a national hero her play last year. But I will
about match-fixing in ten- who could be making his definitely have a little bit
final appearance as a more information closer to
nis. If players are suspect- player in his native Austra- the match.”
lia.
ed of corruption, he wants Victoria Azarenka, who TOUGH-LUCK MURRAY: It’s
won the Brisbane Inter- just as well Murray won the
names. national title to open the 2012 U.S. Open, and Wim-
year, is in her best form bledon the following year,
ATP chairman Chris Kermode, right, and vice chairman Mark Young listen to reporter’s question since capturing back- ending seven-decade
during a press conference at the Australian Open tennis championships in Melbourne, Australia, to-back Australian Open streaks of no British man
Monday, Jan. 18, 2016. Chairman Kermode and the Tennis Integrity United have rejected news titles in 2012 and 2013. She winning a the major title.
reports that match-fixing has gone unchecked in the sport. plays Alison Van Uytvanck He helped then helped
in the last match on Rod Britain win the Davis Cup
(AP Photo/Shuji Kajiyama) Laver Arena on Tuesday last year, its first team title
evening. in 79 years.
Federer was respond- the sport, saying the Ten- rity unit had been formed Second-seeded Andy At Melbourne Park, he’s
ing to reports by BBC and nis Integrity Unit remained in 2008 as a joint initiative Murray, who has lost all not had as much luck —
BuzzFeed News published “constantly vigilant and of the International Tennis four finals he’s contested, he’s zero for 4 in the fi-
Monday that tennis au- not complacent” when it Federation, the ATP, the takes on Alexander Zverev nal. He begins his quest
thorities have suppressed comes to tackling corrup- WTA and the Grand Slam in the second match at for final No. 5 on Tuesday
evidence of match-fixing tion. Board to combat corrup- Margaret Court Arena. against Zverev, whom he
and overlooked suspect- “The Tennis Integrity Unit tion in the wake of the So- Rafael Nadal has a tough beat just two weeks ago
ed cases involving players and tennis authorities abso- pot investigation. first-round match against at the Hopman Cup in
ranked in the top 50, in- lutely reject any suggestion He maintained that the unit fellow Spaniard Fernando Perth in the first meeting
cluding Grand Slam singles that evidence of match- investigates every report it Verdasco in the last after- between the pair.
and doubles winners. fixing has been suppressed receives and takes action noon match at Rod Laver. But Murray and the
The reports said that none for any reason or isn’t being only when it has enough Lleyton Hewitt, a two-time 1.98-meter (6-6) Zverev
of these players had faced thoroughly investigated,” evidence to do so. major champion who will have practiced together
sanctions and more than he said. It has since sanctioned 18 retire after this tourna- in the past. “It will be a
half would be playing at The BBC and BuzzFeed alle- people for match-fixing, ment, opens the night tough match,” Murray
this year’s Australian Open, gations were based on files including five players and program on the center said. “He serves well. For a
which started Monday. The they reported had been one official who received court. big guy, moves pretty well
players weren’t identified leaked “from inside the lifetime bans. The closest he came ... obviously improving all
by name. sport” showing evidence “You can have lots of infor- to winning his national the time.”
“I would love to hear of suspected match-fixing mation, lots of anecdotal championship was in
names,” Federer said after orchestrated by gambling reports, 2005, when he lost to RAFA’S OPENING CHAL-
beating Nikoloz Basilash- syndicates in Russia and but it’s about getting evi- Marat Safin in the final. LENGE: Nadal last played
vili of Georgia 6-2, 6-1, 6-2. Italy that had been uncov- dence that we can use,” Hewitt, who has already fellow lefthander Ver-
“Then at least it’s concrete ered during an ATP investi- Kermode said. been named as Austra- dasco in the Australian
stuff and you can actually gation of a 2007 match in TIU chief Nigel Willerton de- lia’s Davis Cup captain, Open semifinals in 2009,
debate about it. Sopot, Poland, involving clined to say whether any takes on countryman and when he prevailed in five
Was it the player? Was it suspiciously high levels of players at the Australian fellow wild-card entry sets in 5 hours, 14 minutes,
the support team? Who betting. Open were being moni- James Duckworth. then went on to win the
was it? Was it before? Was According to the reports, tored for suspected match- Here are some things to title two days later. “Not
it a doubles player, a sin- the ATP investigation wid- fixing. watch on Tuesday: a lucky first round, I think,
gles player? Which Slam?” ened to uncover a network Many of those punished for me.
“It’s super serious and it’s of other players suspected have been lower-ranked LOOKING FOR THREE: Aza- For him either,” Nadal says.
super important to main- of match-fixing, but officials players on the second-tier renka appeared to be “Will be a tough match.”
tain the integrity of our didn’t follow up on the cas- Challenger tour. q rarity among the title con- Asked to reflect on the
tenders in the first weeks 2009 result, Nadal said:
of the season, staying “Obvious that that match
healthy while Serena Wil- gave me the chance to
liams had to pull out of win the only Australian
the Hopman Cup with Open that I won. That was
left knee inflammation, an unforgettable memory
followed by the Brisbane for me.” Nadal holds a
International withdrawals big advantage in head-
of No. 2 Simona Halep, to-head matches, having
No. 3 Garbine Muguruza won 14 of 16 meetings be-
and No. 5 Maria Sharapo- tween the pair.q
