'Widespread' fixing alleged

Sixteen players ranked in the world top 50 over the past decade, including Grand Slam champions, are suspected of being involved in match-fixing, it was alleged on Sunday.

But ATP chairman Chris Kermode and the Tennis Integrity United have rejected reports that match-fixing has gone unchecked.

In reports published on the first morning of the Australian Open, the BBC and BuzzFeed News said secret files exposed evidence of widespread suspected match-fixing at the top level of world tennis. The report said that in the past decade 16 players - all at some stage ranked in the top 50 - have been repeatedly flagged to the integrity unit.