The French Open was rocked by a match fixing scandal on Friday, as police detained Russian player Yana Sizikova for questioning over allegations of corruption.
According to news agency Reuters, French prosecutors had opened an investigation into alleged match-fixing in a women’s doubles match at the French Open last September for “fraud in an organised group” and “active and passive corruption.”
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The investigation was related to a doubles match between Romanian pair Andreea Mitu and Patricia Mari and Sizikova and American Madison Brengle. Sizikova and Brengle had lost the match 6-7, 4-6.
The Russian is currently ranked No 101 in women’s doubles and has one career title to show.
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Shamil Tarpischev, president of the Russian Tennis Federation, told the RIA news agency that he had been informed of Sizikova’s detention.
TASS news agency also reported that the Russian embassy in Paris had been informed of the situation.
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“We have not received any documents (regarding the case), so it’s difficult to make an assessment of what has happened,” Tarpischev was quoted as saying.
The Russian Tennis Federation did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
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Sizikova has lost in the first round of women’s doubles on Thursday. Sizikova and Ekaterina Alexandrova went down 1-6, 1-6 to Ajla Tomljanovic and Storm Sanders at the French Open.
