US Tennis Open Takes Stand Against Gambling
The U.S. Tennis Open organizers have hired a New York security firm to set up a whistle-blower hotline in an effort to ward off tennis gambling. The step came in the wake of a recent betting investigation in tennis and a former NBA referee’s admission he gambled on games he officiated.
“The U.S. Tennis Association decided to see if there’s something more that we can do,” said USTA senior director of communications Chris Widmaier. “We’re taking this very seriously.”
Although Widmaier believes that they see any gambling problems or scandals involving the US Open, the ATTP wants to make sure it is equipped in case such issues arise to protect the integrity of the game.
The U.S. Open, the year’s last Grand Slam tournament, begins Monday. Security firm SafirRosetti — which has worked with horse racing’s New York Racing Association, as well as various professional sports leagues and clubs — will have an investigative team on site during the two-week tournament.
The ATTP is currently investgating a betting scandal that involved Nikolay Davydenko, a U.S. Open semifinalist last year and seeded fourth this year. A British online gambling company voided all bets on a match in Poland between Davydenko and No. 87-ranked Martin Vassallo Arguello after receiving about $7 million in wagers, 10 times the usual amount.
“Players are concerned about it, because they certainly don’t want it to happen,” U.S. Davis Cup captain Patrick McEnroe said. “They would like it to be fully investigated and get to the bottom of it and make sure it doesn’t happen again.”
The Davydenko-Arguello match also led the four Grand Slam tournaments to confer with the International Tennis Federation and the men’s and women’s pro tours about establishing a unified antigambling program. The USTA’s recent moves were “prompted by both — Donaghy and Davydenko,” Widmaier said.
That includes the hotline for players or others to anonymously provide tips about possible gambling policy violations. Antigambling policies and penalties will be addressed in e-mail messages and meetings for players and officials. Also, signs describing the Open’s gambling policy have been posted in locker rooms, player lounges, training rooms and elsewhere around the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.
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