Maria Sharapova and Ana Ivanovic insisted here the women's game is clean as the world's elite players gear up for the first Grand Slam of the year in Australia.
HONG KONG: Tennis stars Maria Sharapova and Ana Ivanovic insisted here on Tuesday the women's game is clean as the world's elite players gear up for the first Grand Slam of the year in Australia.
Rumours of match-fixing and concerns over unusual betting patterns and betting by players have dogged the sport for some time.
On Monday, tennis legend Martina Navratilova backed efforts to rid tennis of corruption but conceded that match-fixing was hard to prove.
Her comments followed moves by Australian Open officials aimed at preventing any illegal gambling or match fixing, including possibly pursuing criminal charges against players.
But world number four Ivanovic and fifth-ranked Sharapova, in Hong Kong for the star-studded JB Group Classic starting Wednesday, said the women's tour was clean.
Twenty-year-old Ivanovic, a French Open finalist last year, said she had not heard of any foul play in women's tennis, adding, "I really hope it will stay that way."
"I think it's important to... keep it clean and keep it pure and it's all about competition and the challenge and I think that's the way it should be and it should stay that way."
Two-time Grand Slam winner Sharapova, 20, who lost to American Serena Williams in the final of last year's Australian Open, also said the WTA tour was in good shape.
"I think it's in the best interests of players and the tour to keep the sport as clean as possible," the Russian added.
"It's unfortunate that you do hear those things. Whether they're true you're not sure because sometimes it's just a bunch of rumours so unless you get a factsheet or facts they will remain rumours."
Six of the world's top 11 women players face off this week in the Hong Kong tournament, including sixth-ranked Anna Chakvetadze and world number eight Venus Williams.
Sharapova, aiming to recapture the world number one slot, said playing the Hong Kong tournament was good preparation for the Australian Open because it guaranteed match-ups against top players.
Serbia's Ivanovic said she was aiming to reach number one in 2008. Asked whether it could be her breakthrough year, she said, "I really look forward to that. I think it could be."
The issue of corruption has swirled around tennis for months.
Russian world number four Nikolay Davydenko is the subject of an investigation after suspicious betting patterns emerged in a match he played in Poland in August. He has denied any involvement in the affair.
The ATP recently banned Italian tennis players Potito Starace and Daniele Bracciali for betting on matches, ruling them both out of this month's Australian Open.
Announcing the punishments, the ATP, the governing body for the men's game, warned that players and support staff would be disciplined if evidence of betting on matches was discovered.
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