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Report: Doubles player suspected of match-fixing is on 'secret blacklist'

Paulo Whitaker / REUTERS

David Marrero, a doubles player flagged for potential match-fixing at this year's Australian Open after suspicious betting emerged on one of his matches, is on a "secret" bookmakers' blacklist, according to ABC.

The blacklist is reportedly comprised of professional tennis players who have played in matches the bookmakers deemed to be suspicious, and is reportedly maintained by one of Europe's biggest bookmakers, who handed it over to tennis authorities on Monday.

Marrero's name came to attention this past weekend, when the New York Times reported that bookmaker Pinnacle Sports had suspended betting on the mixed doubles match pitting him and Spanish countrywoman Lara Arruabarrena against Lukasz Kubot and Andrea Hlavackova, after gobs of money poured in on Kubot and Hlavackova's side for what would ordinarily be considered a highly obscure match.

Suspicions seemed to be piqued even further when Marrero and Arruabarrena lost 6-0, 6-3.

According to ABC's report, at least 19 other bookmakers canceled their betting markets on the match, and the Tennis Integrity Unit (TIU) is now investigating it.

"I know that, I'm sure that the Tennis Integrity Unit is studying and looking into what happened to see if there's any evidence there to support the allegations," ITF president David Haggerty told ABC.

Tennis' governing bodies announced Wednesday that they will commission an independent review of the TIU's operating procedures.

Marrero has reportedly played in previous matches that created suspicious betting patterns, but denied any wrongdoing in the Aussie Open match. Arruaberrena insisted Marrero had a knee injury, and that the bets would've come in after someone found out about it. Marrero, for his part, chalked his poor play up to the psychological effects of playing mixed doubles.

"Normally when I play, I play full power, in doubles or singles," he told the Times. "But when I see the lady in front of me, I feel my hand wants to play, but my head says, 'Be careful.' This is not a good combination."

Hlavackova and Kubot also indicated that they felt their opponents were giving 100 percent in the match.

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