Ukrainian tennis player disqualified for betting on matches
The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) has officially announced sanctions and a suspension for 24-year-old Ukrainian tennis player Oleksandr Ovcharenko. The athlete received a six-week suspension and a fine of $2,000 (of which $1,000 is suspended) for a gross violation of the current anti-corruption program.
The Ukrainian was punished for failing to report to the relevant authorities any corrupt activity of which he was aware or any reasonable suspicion thereof. Additionally, the tennis player was found guilty of conspiracy to place bets on tennis matches.
His suspension will remain in effect until June 29, 2026. During this period, Ovcharenko is barred from competing as a player, working as a coach, or even attending any official tournaments or events under the auspices of the ITF, WTA, ATP, Grand Slam associations, and national federations as a spectator.
As part of the investigation into the same case, Italian stringing specialist Federico Colelli was also sanctioned. He was suspended for two months (until July 18, 2026) and fined the same amount of $2,000 for directly placing bets on tennis and concealing information about corruption.
Oleksandr Ovcharenko is currently ranked 570th in the ATP world rankings. He achieved his best result in his professional career in 2025, rising to 296th place in singles. Recently, the athlete has regularly been called up to the Ukrainian national team for Davis Cup matches.
This was reported by the ITIA press service.
On Thursday, June 4, Ukrainian tennis player Marta Kostyuk, who defeated Elina Svitolina in the quarterfinals, will play in the semifinals of the 2026 French Open. The Ukrainian’s opponent will be Russian player Mira Andreeva. The match will determine one of the finalists of the prestigious Grand Slam tournament in Paris.
Svitolina also confidently defeated an American player and advanced to the round of 16 at Indian Wells.
Sobolenko lost in the quarterfinals of Roland Garros.
