TMatch-fixing suspicions hurt game's image

he "Happy Slam" got off to a somber start when allegations of match-fixing in tennis overshadowed the opening day of the Australian Open earlier this month.

Hours before the tournament started, the BBC and BuzzFeed reported that 16 players, all ranked in the top 50 at some stage and including at least one Grand Slam champion, had played in matches that had been flagged by tennis authorities because of suspicious betting patterns.

The reports also alleged tennis regulators hadn't acted against those players, including some who were set to play at the first major tournament of the season.