Tennis continues to battle deepening match-fixing concerns, with last year exposing the scale of the crisis. Last February, the ITIA sanctioned six players linked to the Belgian syndicate run by convicted fixer Grigor Sargsyan later sentenced to five years in prison. Now, the shadow returns as 32-year-old Argentine player Hernán Casanova faces suspension, reigniting fears over gambling’s grip on the sport.

The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) has suspended Argentina’s Hernán Casanova for two months. The decision followed violations related to illegal betting and integrity rules.

Casanova is currently ranked No. 397 in the ATP standings. He admitted his mistakes in a message posted online.

The ITIA confirmed the sanction details in an official statement. “Casanova accepted a sanction of two months and a fine of $2,000, of which $1,500 is suspended. The sanction is effective from 4 February 2026 and will end on 3 April 2026,” the ITA said.

The agency also outlined strict restrictions during the suspension period. “During the period of ineligibility, Casanova is prohibited from playing in, coaching at, or attending any tennis event authorised or sanctioned by the members of the ITIA (ATP, ITF, WTA, Tennis Australia, Fédération Française de Tennis, Wimbledon, and USTA) or any national association.”

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Casanova admitted he placed bets on tennis matches between 2023 and 2025. He said the wagers were made “for fun.”

He clarified that none of the bets involved events where he was competing. However, betting on any tennis match is prohibited under the rules.

The player also admitted to another violation. He failed to report a corrupt approach, which breached the 2024 Tennis Anti-Corruption Program (TACP).

Each of these actions violated the TACP regulations. Casanova accepted responsibility for his conduct.

“I’m going to be suspended for two months,” Casanova wrote on Instagram. “I clearly accepted my mistake and suspension.”

Investigators confirmed that he did not report someone who tried to involve him in match-fixing. The case came amid growing concerns about gambling pressure on players.

Recently, Argentine Román Burruchaga and Spain’s Nikolas Sánchez Izquierdo reported death threats. The threats came from gamblers during the Challenger 125 event in Rosario.

“These are going to be two difficult months,” Casanova added. “I want to share this so that the kids who are just starting out in professional tennis read and get well informed about the anti-corruption program, because the smallest mistake comes at a cost.”

The crackdown on gambling violations has continued. In April, Thomas Setodji, Hugo Daubias, Gabriel Petit, Yannick Thivant, and Thomas Brechemier were also sanctioned for older offenses. 

In 2023, the ITIA issued provisional suspensions to Timur Khabibulin, Sanjar Fayziev, and Igor Smilansky for match-fixing.

Khabibulin committed 18 breaches of the TACP between 2014 and 2018. Fayziev committed five violations after being approached by him. Smilansky also breached the rules three times following a similar approach.

More recently, Brazil’s Gustavo Tedesco was suspended for two years and three months. He was fined $15,000 after admitting six breaches of the TACP. Investigators found he manipulated three ITF matches and helped facilitate betting.

These cases show that gambling and corruption remain ongoing challenges for the sport. But recently, even match officials have faced suspensions over tennis betting violations.

ITIA bans tennis officials for betting-related corruption

Last year, tennis officials Luis Rodriguez, Antonio Sosa, and Wellingthon Lopez were charged with corruption. The cases were linked to breaches between 2018 and 2021. All three denied the allegations.

According to the ITIA, the officials entered false data into electronic scoring devices. This manipulation was done to assist betting activity. Their actions were ruled as violations of the TACP.

Luis Rodriguez denied charges related to six matches in the Dominican Republic between 2018 and 2020. However, a hearing in December 2024 found him guilty.

Independent anti-corruption hearing officer Richard Young issued a lifetime ban. Rodriguez was also fined $15,000. The sanction came into effect on January 21 last year.

Young explained the seriousness of the offense. “As a chair umpire, he was in an important position of trust charged with upholding the integrity of the sport. This was not a one-off occurrence of bad judgment,” he said.

Antonio Sosa also denied charges related to two matches in the Dominican Republic in 2021. A December hearing upheld the violations. He received a five-year suspension and a $3,000 fine.

The suspension was backdated to October 2022. Sosa will be eligible to officiate again from October 2027.

Wellingthon Lopez denied charges linked to two matches in 2019 and 2020. A hearing in February upheld the case against him.

Lopez received a four-and-a-half-year ban and a $1,000 fine. His suspension was backdated to October 2021. He will be eligible to return in April this year.

With gambling and match-fixing cases rising again, the sport faces growing pressure. Both players and officials are now under greater scrutiny. Tennis authorities are working toward stronger safeguards to protect the integrity of the game.