Members of the local tennis community are reacting with shock to allegations that some of the world’s top tennis players may have been involved in match fixing.
The reports from the BBC and Buzz Feed News Monday allege that tennis officials suppressed evidence of match fixing involving 16 of the world’s top-ranked players.
“I was alarmed. It’s shocking to hear,” Kartik Vyas, player development director at the Ontario Tennis Association told CP24.
Pointing out that many of the kids involved in the sport look up to pro players, Vyas said the allegations would be harmful to the sport if proven true.
“Certainly this could impact tennis once the names come out,” he said.
Speaking with CP24, another young tennis player said the allegations introduce an element of doubt into the sport.
“It’s going to be different watching it because I won’t know if it’s them playing and trying to win or just throwing the matches,” she said.
Earlier Monday, some of the tennis world’s biggest stars weighed in on the possible scandal.
“It made me feel terrible because I don’t want to be anyhow linked to this kind of – somebody might call it an opportunity, for me that’s an act of unsportsmanship, a crime in sports honestly,” Serbian tennis star Novak Djokovic.
Swiss star Roger Federer said if there is any truth to the allegations, he’d like to see names.
The reports come as some of the world’s biggest stars take part in the Australian Open.
