November 10, 2007	Saturday	Shawwal 28, 1428

MILAN, Nov 9: Italy’s Alessio Di Mauro is under investigation for betting on other players’ matches, the Italian Tennis Federation has said. The world number 124, who made the first round of the Australian and French Opens this year, could face a three-year ban and a large fine if found guilty of online gambling.

“He has an online account, it is a personal account. It is a new thing, we are still waiting for the ATP but sanctions are possible,” an Italian tennis federation spokeswoman said on Friday, adding he had not bet on his own matches.

The ATP has refused to comment.

Di Mauro, 30, gained a ranking high of 68 in February after reaching his first ATP final in Buenos Aires, where he lost to Argentina’s Juan Monaco.

Tennis is cracking down on betting after a troubled period for the sport.

A match in August between Russia’s Nikolay Davydenko and lowly-ranked Argentine Martin Vassallo Arguello in Poland was voided by British online betting exchange Betfair because of unusual betting patterns.

Several players have since said they had turned down offers to throw a match in exchange of money. —Reuters