Bernard Tomic embroiled in police probe over match-fixing suspicions linked to Australian Open clash

Australian tennis player Bernard Tomic recently found himself at the center of a police investigation over potential match-fixing after suspicious betting activity was linked to two of his matches. One of those encounters was Tomic's clash with Roman Safiullin in the qualifiers of the 2022 Australian Open.

Safiullin dominated the encounter at the Melbourne Slam, claiming a commanding 6-1, 6-4 victory. The match came under scrutiny after dubious online betting was detected, not only for this clash but for a match the Australian had played in Turkey a few months earlier. As a result, the police launched strike force Whyman to investigate the matter.

Three men from New South Wales were identified as suspects, having placed suspicious bets on both matches, with their winnings ranging from payouts of $10,000 to $180,000.

However, the investigation concluded without criminal charges being filed since the police didn't find enough evidence to pursue legal action, which allowed Bernard Tomic to continue competing on tour.

The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) also conducted an independent investigation, during which Tomic's phone was seized and he was interrogated about his potential connection to the gamblers and their activities.

A Tennis Australia spokesperson disclosed that they had collaborated with the ITIA and law enforcement agencies, revealing that there was no longer an active police investigation into the matter.

"Tennis Australia’s integrity team has worked with the ITIA and law enforcement agencies since first alerted to concerns relating to betting activity in tennis," the spokesman said (via The Age).

"[Tennis Australia] integrity’s role in any investigation has predominantly been one of support throughout. We have been advised there is no current police investigation into this matter," they added.

Bernard Tomic crashes out of Australian Open 2025 in qualifiers

Bernard Tomic - Source: Getty

Bernard Tomic had a disappointing outing at the 2024 Australian Open after entering the Major as a qualifier. The Australian squared off against Jozef Kovalik, suffering a crushing 6-3, 6-1 loss in the first round of qualifying. The 32-year-old's best results at his home Slam remain his fourth-round finishes in 2012, 2015, and 2016.

Tomic also had a discouraging 2024 season. The 32-year-old recorded the quickest final loss in ATP Challenger history, losing 6-0, 6-1 to Learner Tien in just 39 minutes in the title clash at the Taube-Grossman Pro Tennis Tournament in Fairfield.

The defeat joined Bernard Tomic's longstanding record of the quickest loss in ATP Tour history, as Jarrko Nieminen triumphed over the Australian 6-0, 6-1 in just 28 minutes at the 2014 Miami Open.