Davydenko gambling probe haunts US Open

0 Comments | AFP, August, 2007

NEW YORK (AFP) — Concerns over the match-fix gambling probe involving fourth seed Nikolay Davydenko haunt the US Open on the eve of the Grand Slam event.

The 26-year-old Russian, a semi-finalist here 12 months ago, will begin the year's final Grand Slam event here Monday against US wild card Jesse Levine still dogged by a second-round withdrawal earlier this month.

The internet betting site Betfair refused to pay out on Davydenko's loss in an ATP event at Sopot, Poland, in which Argentina's Martin Vassallo Arguello won 2-6, 6-3, 2-1 when the Russian retired with a foot injury.

Seven million dollars in wagers, 10 times more than normal for such a match, swung to Arguello even after Davydenko won the first set. That irregularity touched off a probe into the...