Melbourne: Australian Open organisers have introduced anti-corruption measures including fines, bans and jail terms for any players found to be involved in match-fixing at next year's opening Grand Slam.
While there has been no proof of any wrongdoing, the sport has been rife with rumours of match-fixing this year, with several players saying they had been approached to throw matches.
Russian player Nikolay Davydenko is facing an investigation over irregular betting patterns on one of his matches in August.
"We don't believe our sport has a corruption problem but we do recognise that a threat to the integrity of tennis exists," Tennis Australia (TA) chief executive Steve Wood said on Friday.
"Betting is a reality in all sports. But we want to have some vigilance over illegal gambling."
Wood said TA would establish an anti-corruption unit, which will be headed by former police officers, introduce a match-fixing hotline, ban the use of laptop computers courtside and increase security measures restricting access to players.
Wood said strict sanctions would apply for players and their support staff for breaches of the policy, ranging from fines to life bans, while those involved in match-fixing could also face prison terms.
Wood said the measures were just for the Australian Open but he expected the sport to produce a co-ordinated policy towards match-fixing next year.
"This is an interim protection measure for the Australian Open while globally our sport completes a comprehensive and independent analysis of the overall threat to the integrity of tennis," he added.
"I fully expect that analysis will lead to the formation of a global integrity unit for tennis next year. In the meantime I am very comfortable with what we have put in place."
The Australian Open runs from January 14-27.
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