A few years ago, Argentine tennis player Marco Trungelliti revealed the illegal practice of match-fixing in tennis. Now the tennis player has returned to this topic in an interview with “La Nacion”. He mentioned the lack of support from the ATP in the matter, pointed out what match-fixing is like today, and admitted that Novak Djokovic was also offered to take part in such a match.
A few years ago, Marco Trungelliti revealed match-fixing in tennis, confessing that he had rejected a bribe from a bookmaker group. As a result of his actions, three of his compatriots were suspended: Federico Coria, Patricio Heras and Nicolas Kicker, who, as it turned out, used match fixing. Now Trungelliti recalled those events in an interview for La Nacion.
Years after the disclosure of the described scandal, Marco Trungelliti admits that he did not receive any support from the tennis authorities and was called a snitch by some tennis players. Moreover, the Argentine revealed that little has changed in the matter of match-fixing in tennis.
– Players who do this are now a little more cautious at the beginning. I always say the same thing: we focus on the players, but there are many coaches who do that. Until they really get down to work and the ATP is willing to change the system, not much will happen. I would say it’s almost a 200-year-old feudal system where two percent live as rich people and the rest die. Because a player outside the top 100 “cannot live.” Of course, Federer hurts me the most. Because with his position and charisma, if he really wanted to change something, he would have done it – Trungelliti said, suggesting that Federer’s position in the tennis world allowed him to force the ATP to make changes.
Interestingly, Marco Trungelliti confessed that he knew a player who was offered to take part in a fixed match at the same time as him. That player was Novak Djokovic.
– Djokovic said he was offered match-fixing. Sergei Stakhovsky, who called me a snitch, came later and said that he was also offered it – said the Argentine. The incident was confirmed by Djokovic himself.
– I was not contacted directly. People who worked with me at the time contacted me. Of course, we rejected it immediately. Unfortunately, in those times, there were rumors, some conversations, and there were a few people hanging around. I felt terrible because I didn’t want to be associated with it. Someone might call it an opportunity, but for me it’s unsportsmanlike, I would call it a crime. I don’t support it, – Djokovic explained in an interview with the BBC.
It was about the situation from 2007 during the tournament in Saint Petersburg. According to the BBC, the Serb was offered £110,000 for losing the match.
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