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Aslan Karatsev claimed he was unaware of the match-fixing allegations made against him when asked by a Russian media. According to German TV ZDF, Karatsev and Nikoloz Basilashvili are under investigation for possible match-fixing.
Belarusian tennis coach Yegor Yatsyk, who worked with both Karatsev and Basilashvili in the past, was mentioned as the key figure in the ZDF report. “I haven’t heard anything about it. I don’t know what you are talking about,” Karatsev told Russian publication Metaratings.
Karatsev, Basilashvili respond to the match-fixing allegations
Karatsev didn't want to speak too much when asked about the ZDF report but Basilashvili had a lot to say. This week, Basilashvili released a statement, in which he described those allegations as "absurd" and "extremely damaging misinformation." "Last weekend, it came to my attention that media publications in Germany have made mention of my name in connection with allegations of so-called "Match Fixing." These allegations have no basis at all and I reject them in the strongest possible terms.
I will not accept seeing my name and reputation being severely violated through baseless and absurd accusations. I therefore demand that such allegations and lies stop immediately and the public, through the media, must be informed that I totally and utterly deny all of these absurd accusations.
I have empowered a German law firm to protect my interests and to act in every possible way to fight this extremely damaging misinformation," Basilashvili said in a statement released by his agency. Both Karatsev and Basilashvili competed this week on the clay courts of Bastad.
In his Bastad debut, Karatsev made the quarterfinal before losing to Francisco Cerundolo. On the other side, Basilashvili suffered a first round defeat to Hugo Gaston in the Bastad first round. Interestingly, Karatsev and Basilashvili have been drawn to face each other in the Hamburg first round next week.