Dolgopolov lashes out after loss to Monteiro prompts betting investigation

Alexandr Dolgopolov insisted yesterday that he had given his best effort in his recent defeat at the hands of Thiago Monteiro, and also told reporters that “I don’t give a f---” about the unexplained flurry of money that came in behind his opponent on the online betting exchanges.

The Tennis Integrity Unit have launched an investigation on the basis of unusual betting patterns surrounding that match in Winston-salem 10 days ago, which Monteiro won 6-3, 6-3 with surprising ease.

But Dolgopolov said yesterday: “I was giving my best effort. I was physically weak. I blacked out in that match, I wasn’t happy with my physical condition and I knew by New York I needed to get some work done.”

As for the sudden reversal in odds before the match, which found Monteiro switching from a heavy underdog to a strong favourite, Dolgopolov replied: “You want my honest answer? I don’t give a f--- to be honest because it’s like a circus.

“I think I should be asking you guys how you feel about your fellow journalists writing about maybe there’s a fix in the match because there is a market.

“I read the article, it was like the statistics of my break points,” he added. “Are you serious? You are going now to the statistics and

Defiant: Alexandr Dolgopolov insists he has nothing to hide after his surprise defeat saying it might be fixed because there is a market? Are you writing news or fairytales?

“So for me I don’t want to even talk about it. I talked to the TIU, I respect their work. I gave all the information needed. It’s a pity that the guys are writing and hurting people’s image without anything, just a betting pattern. How do I have anything connected with that? A guy got drunk who went to bet one million and I have to answer every time. It’s not really facts in this.”

Dolgopolov claimed a five-set victory over Jan-lennard Struff yesterday on Court 16, but his tennis was hardly at the top of the agenda when he came to the interview room.

He admitted that he had previously been interviewed by the TIU in relation to betting patterns surrounding one of his matches six or seven years ago, but denied that he had ever received an approach to fix results for money.

“Er, no, not really,” he said, in relation to that last question. “I don’t have a lot of friends on social networks. If you give your phone too many times, probably. But no, not that I remember of.”