Russian tennis player Yana Sizikova was arrested in Paris in connection with an investigation into match fixing at the 2020 French Open.
French newspaper Le Parisien said she was arrested Thursday and accused of sports corruption and organized fraud. Sizikova was arrested shortly after she and doubles partner Ekaterina Alexandrova lost their opening-round match to Australians Ajla Tomljanovic and Storm Sanders 6-1, 6-1 in the 2021 tournament.
Sizikova, ranked No. 765 in the world in singles and No. 101 in doubles, has been under investigation since last fall. The investigation commenced after she and her then-partner, Madison Brengle of the United States, lost their opening-round match at the French Open on Sept. 30.
The start of the 2020 tournament at Roland Garros was delayed until fall because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Le Parisien said suspicions were raised after Bringle and Sizikova were beaten by Romanians Andreea Mitu and Patricia Maria Tig 7-6 (8), 6-4. Investigators focused on the fifth game in the second set in which “tens of thousands of euros” had been bet on the Romanians to win the game.
Sizikova and Brengle didn’t win a point in that game, which Sizikova served. She committed two double faults and lost another point.
The 26-year-old Sizikova has one career doubles win (2019) and career earnings of about $206,000, according to the WTA.
–Field Level Media