Davydenko: ATP's Methods "Idiotic"
http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/tennis/news/story?id=3177110
Nikolay Davydenko, who has denied any wrongdoing in tennis' ongoing betting scandal, on Tuesday described his treatment by the ATP as "idiotic."
Davydenko, ranked fourth in the world, recently won his appeal after he was fined in October for "lack of effort" in a match against Croatian qualifier Marin Cilic at the St. Petersburg Open. The ATP, after reviewing video of the match, rescinded the fine. But he begins the new year with the cloud of an investigation still hanging over his head.
The ATP is seeking telephone records from some of Davydenko's relatives as part of its investigation into allegations of match-fixing and suspicious betting patterns in the sport.
"It's taking months and months. And it may take my whole life. As a tennis player I am patient, it doesn't bother," he said in Doha, Qatar, where on Tuesday he defeated German qualifier Benedikt Dorsch, 6-3, 6-0 in an early-round match at the Qatar Open.
"I provided telephone connection data at the beginning of December and then the ATP wanted data from my wife and brother which we refused. If we allowed that to happen, they would be taking data from my grandmother," Davydenko said, speaking German and using a translator.
"It's a shame that it all started with me and that players like [Potito] Starace get punished as a result," he added, referring to the fact that Starace, an Italian player ranked No. 31, was obliged to withdraw from the Qatar Open this week, having been suspended for six weeks and fined $30,000 for making five bets two years ago totaling about $150. "It's all idiotic. But I want to fight to get my reputation back."
Concerns about match-fixing began in August, when an online betting company reported unusual wagering patterns during a match between Davydenko and Martin Vassallo Arguello of Argentina. The company, Betfair, voided all bets, and the ATP subsequently began its investigation.
Nikolay Davydenko, who has denied any wrongdoing in tennis' ongoing betting scandal, on Tuesday described his treatment by the ATP as "idiotic."
Davydenko, ranked fourth in the world, recently won his appeal after he was fined in October for "lack of effort" in a match against Croatian qualifier Marin Cilic at the St. Petersburg Open. The ATP, after reviewing video of the match, rescinded the fine. But he begins the new year with the cloud of an investigation still hanging over his head.
The ATP is seeking telephone records from some of Davydenko's relatives as part of its investigation into allegations of match-fixing and suspicious betting patterns in the sport.
"It's taking months and months. And it may take my whole life. As a tennis player I am patient, it doesn't bother," he said in Doha, Qatar, where on Tuesday he defeated German qualifier Benedikt Dorsch, 6-3, 6-0 in an early-round match at the Qatar Open.
"I provided telephone connection data at the beginning of December and then the ATP wanted data from my wife and brother which we refused. If we allowed that to happen, they would be taking data from my grandmother," Davydenko said, speaking German and using a translator.
"It's a shame that it all started with me and that players like [Potito] Starace get punished as a result," he added, referring to the fact that Starace, an Italian player ranked No. 31, was obliged to withdraw from the Qatar Open this week, having been suspended for six weeks and fined $30,000 for making five bets two years ago totaling about $150. "It's all idiotic. But I want to fight to get my reputation back."
Concerns about match-fixing began in August, when an online betting company reported unusual wagering patterns during a match between Davydenko and Martin Vassallo Arguello of Argentina. The company, Betfair, voided all bets, and the ATP subsequently began its investigation.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by ThePoet on
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It is a shame if this stuff is true because not only is it bad for the individual players it is bad for the sport. I have lost allot of respect for Davydenko as a result of this. I was never a major fan of his but I thought when he played well he could push anyone and that was entertaining. But with all this controversy, I give him a thumbs down at the moment.
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Permalink Reply by Mark / The Mayor on
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Hi Poet,
So do you think Davydenko is guilty? I guess so. I'm trying to remain undecided until I hear more, but the thought definitely creeps in. I hope he's not of course.
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70% of me thinks he is guilty and 30% is on the fence.Some of his losses and match withdraws are very suspicious.
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Permalink Reply by BlueShirt on
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I think he needs to be careful about what he says right now. He got in trouble when he said no one cares about the Sydney tournament, now he's saying the ATP's way of handling things are "idiotic." It's fine if he feels that way and he definitely has that freedom. But to have such a big mouth at a time like this? He's not bashful!
I like Davydenko and I felt hurt when I heard the allegation. It's way too suspicious to not have any incriminating facts behind it. But I still don't think he's guilty, he hasn't been proven guilty. I hope for the sake of tennis he's innocent.
later
blue
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"He's not bashful!" or maybe he's not smart. LOL
Actually, I think anyone at the top level of tennis has to be intelligent. Agree?
You touched on something else. I always kind of rooted for him because he never gets any respect for his game - now he's not getting respect for a whole other reason - it's a complicated enchilada for sure.
A
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I think you guys are the first Davydenko fans I have ever met LOL, everyone always bashes him and calls him boring. But like I said when he is playing well he pushes anybody and that is always fun and exciting to watch.
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LOL. I am not a Davy fan, let me get that straight.
But I have noticed that he doesn't get the props he deserves.
#4 in the friggin world for a couple of years now.
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I actually was a Davydenko fan for a while. I liked the fact that he was at it everyday, without a lot of the drama other players went through. He wasn't flashy, cocky, didn't pull a lot of gamesmanship (something I'd become immune to with some of my other favorites). He even played hurt, which isn't smart I know. But the fact that he would play through the worst conditions and not complain. It was fascinating in a way. I would even root for him against some of my other favorites. He was just all about the tennis. But then again, he is always worn out by the end of the year. And, like Archi has noted, he's not very intelligent in how he speaks about things.
With this cloud over him, I'm not so big of a fan anymore, but I do hope he's innocent.
blue
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Permalink Reply by joe wright on
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i dont think davydenko isint trying his best i jus think that after all his playing he's finaly got tired.He isint the sort of player who player who would throw a match.
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I secretly liked Davydenko because I saw him as the little guy taking on the big guys. I am kind of skinny like him so I identified with him. Though he is not looking so skinny in that picture:)As far as this scandal, when I heard Martina Hingis tested positive for cocaine I starting thinking anything is possible these days especially since he has had very strange losses.
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Poet, that's why I posted that pic of Davy. So much power in those legs that doesn't show up when he is just walking around. Anything is possible. By the way, Hingis on coke.... it's not a performance enhancing drug, she should've gotten a warning and a small suspension if any. thats my thought.
M
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Permalink Reply by Lee on
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Hey, in my mind, it doesn't matter if he did it or not. In sport, often, perception becomes reality. Anyone remember Pete Rose? He was never proven to have bet on baseball and he got banned for life.
As far as Hingis goes, who really cares? I mean, since when in coke a performance enhancing drug?
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