Match-fixing has stalked professional tennis for decades. First exposed by The Sunday Telegraph in 2003, the crisis prompted authorities to establish the Tennis Integrity Unit in 2008. The turning point arrived in 2011, when Daniel Köllerer became the first player to be hit with a lifetime ban. Now the sport confronts another cautionary tale, as Renlong Pang, the 25-year-old tennis player from China, faces a similar and alarming reckoning.

Pang has been removed from competitive tennis for 12 years. The punishment follows a major match-fixing investigation. Officials said he fixed or attempted to fix 22 matches in a five-month period. The International Tennis Integrity Agency confirmed its findings on Friday.

According to the ITIA, Pang operated on the World Tennis Tour, which is the sport’s third tier. The organisation said he fixed five of his own matches. They also said he attempted to fix 17 more. Out of those attempts, six were completed successfully. All of these activities took place between May and September 2024.

The agency said Pang admitted to the violations. He chose not to request a hearing. Because of that decision, the ITIA has not released a full written ruling. Pang also received a financial penalty. Officials confirmed he was fined $110,000, with $70,000 of that amount suspended.

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During the period under review, Pang entered 26 World Tennis Tour matches and one event at the ATP Challenger level. He won 13 matches and lost 14. His highest world ranking was No. 1,316. He reached that position in November 2024. He had already been provisionally suspended since that month.

The investigation connected Pang’s case to matters involving Li Wenfu and Zhang Jin. A source familiar with the information described the link. The source spoke anonymously because they were not allowed to speak publicly. Li received a suspension of two years and three months. Zhang received a two-year suspension. Both punishments were issued in November 2025 for fixing matches in exchange for payment.

Pang’s earlier provisional ban was issued together with two other players. Those players were Jaimée Floyd-Angéle of France and Anapat Timangkul of Thailand. They were suspended on suspicion of anti-corruption offences.

The ITIA presented Pang’s case as a firm warning. The agency is attempting to eliminate match-fixing from the sport. Pang’s 12-year suspension will keep him out of tennis until 2036. His time already served counts toward the total ban. The formal suspension period began on November 7.

This incident is not the first match-fixing episode involving tennis in recent months. The sport continues to face repeated integrity concerns.

French player Quentin Folliot receives unprecedented 20-year suspension

Just weeks ago, the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) announced that French tennis player Quentin Folliot had been suspended for 20 years. He was also fined $70,000 for match-fixing.

The ITIA stated that Folliot must repay “corrupt payments” totaling more than $44,000. This was for “committing 27 breaches of the Tennis Anti-Corruption Program (TACP).”

Folliot’s suspension will end in May 2044, “subject to repayment of outstanding fines.” Time served under a provisional suspension in May 2024 will be counted toward his period of ineligibility.

During the ban, the ITIA said Folliot is prohibited from “playing in, coaching at, or attending any tennis event authorized or sanctioned by the members of the ITIA … or any national association.”

Folliot is the sixth tennis player sanctioned by the ITIA. The agency is increasing efforts to investigate and prevent match-fixing, especially at lower levels where players struggle financially.

Earlier, on September 15, Na Lamphun received a lifetime ban from tennis. He was also fined $115,000 for corrupt practices on the tour.

Lamphun was found guilty under the Tennis Anti-Corruption Program (TACP). He fixed 22 matches in 2023 and 2024. In 18 of those matches, he was involved in monetary transactions. He also did not cooperate with the ITIA investigation. The 31-year-old player had previously received an 18-month suspension in 2016 for similar offenses. 

The ITIA is acting firmly to prevent future violations while making examples of players who breach the rules.