The Jensen Zone: The Dark Clouds of Gambling Forming Over the Court
Welcome back to The Jensen Zone! I am writing for you, the tennis fan, that in over four decades of being involved with the sport of tennis, I have seen every side of the game. It has been an honor to be part of this glorious game that reveals every ounce of your soul when you commit everything into the fight to win. I have been part and witnessed some of the most historic matches and moments in tennis history:
►Being a sparring partner in the U.S. Davis Cup failure in 1991 and victory in 1992
►Warming up Andre Agassi for the final of his Wimbledon title and first of eight majors in 1992
►Through massive injuries that blew me out of the game in 2003
►Covering the amazing Rafael Nadal-Roger Federer Wimbledon final in 2008
►The three-day John Isner marathon match at Wimbledon
Today, after so many legendary moments in the sport, I write you about a moment in the history of the game that will define the next 100 years in professional tennis.
I am talking about the match fixing scandal that has been only whispers up until this point, and now, has morphed into a full-blown firestorm. How the leaders of the pro game attack this issue will determine a pathway of transparency and full disclosure of the problem.
I remember, as a player in the mid-1990s, starting to hear rumors of tanked matches by players who were match fixing. This was the dawn of Internet gambling. While the world of tennis was coming up with a cellphone etiquette, there was a storm cloud forming in the form of betting on matches from around the world with just a click of the mouse.
When the game moved into the mid-2000s, rumors became very clear of match fixing and players were investigated. It seemed like the situation was random and under control. Then about seven years ago, global tennis found itself seeing spikes in certain matches, but also betting on individual sets, games and even points.
We are at the point of the top being blown right off this alarming story that the Tennis Integrity Unit (TIU) has flagged numerous players at all levels of play including a Grand Slam champion!
My firm belief is that tennis must grab this match fixing menace by the horns and squash any type of betting on individual points, games and sets. Any decent player can throw a point here or there by hitting shots just wide or long of the line.
By surveying the betting lines and seeing spikes in wagering on one player that match should then taken off the board and all bets on that specific match should be voided.
What about the tennis players involved? This starts early on for these players moving up the minor leagues of the game when money is very tight. Even the smaller pro events are being bet upon. Once a player takes the action to match fix, that player will be in the pocket of a corrupted source. Imagine if that young player in three years makes it to the big time? Big stakes, big moments and big temptation will cloud the player who has been on the take in the past.
The pro game must come down with lifetime bans for any players, coaches or staffers around the game if it is proven that they have been involved in this criminal business. This message must be absolute.
The game of professional tennis is at its defining moment. The moves the leadership of the sport make now must preserve the ethical integrity of the sport.
My heroes of the game have inspired me through their adrenaline and fire to be the very best at what they do. These elite athletes have the ability to find the most pressure-packed situations and conquer those moments. Pro tennis … get your act together and clean up this chemical spill of ethics for the generations of fans and champions to come.
