Tennis is one of the most susceptible sports to match fixing based solely on the fact that the end result of the game relies on one person. This fact makes it very easy to fix or throw a game. This problem is becoming severe in the lower ranks of professional tennis, as the amount of money that is being gambled is much higher than the amount of money the players are receiving, making it very easy to fall prey to the temptation of fixing the match. There are no set numbers to prove how many matches are being fixed, but the estimates show that at least a few a week are being thrown.
The Low Salary of Tennis Players
One of the largest reasons experts believe that match fixing occurs in tennis is the low salary the players receive. Of the thousands of professional tennis players in the world, only the top 100 or so make a decent living, which puts the other players in the lurches for being tempted by match fixing – a true problem for the world of tennis. Even the largest tournaments do not net the lower ranked players with very much money, forcing them to find other ways to supplement their income if they want to continue doing what they love.
The Types of Match Fixes
There are numerous ways that tennis matches can be fixed, which can be noted in the various bets available on a tennis game. There are the obvious fixes, such as the winner or the score and the less obvious; such as the number of games a particular set will reach. Some bets will even go as miniscule as betting on who will make the next point.
A Single Player Sport
Tennis is a single player sport, which makes it easier to throw or fix the game. There is not an entire team of players that you need to get on the same page, so to speak, in order to fix the results of the game. The decision needs to be made just by one person and the game is simply thrown. This makes it much easier to accomplish as convincing an entire team of say, baseball players, could be much more difficult in the long run.
An Easy Way to Fix It
One of the easiest ways to fix the problem of throwing a match is to increase the prize money awarded to the players. With a larger amount of money in the lurks, players would be more likely to play hard and focus on winning rather than on trying to throw a game in order to make bettors happy and to get their money the illegal way. Another simple way to discourage the presence of match fixing is to help players with the expenses involved in attending tournaments, which eats away at their purse money. If players are being supplemented, then the desire or temptation to throw a match could be diminished.
Players That Have Been Banned
History has proven that match fixing occurs. Daniel Koellerer was banned from the sport in 2011; Serbian David Savic was also banned that year and Sergei Krotiouk was banned in 2013. These players have been banned for life. This is not a common occurrence, which is why these three are so notable in the world of tennis right now.
The unfortunate truth is that match fixing will never truly go away, just as the illegal aspect of fixing any sport will not completely be eliminated. There will always be players out there that are willing to go to the other side and greedily take the money they are offered. The International Tennis Federation needs to step in and do what they can to put an end to the fixing, but for the few that cannot be stopped; they will just have to be banned from the game for life.