Russian tennis player Nikolay Davydenko is to be cleared of match-fixing charges, following a long inquiry into a match which took place last year.

Irregular betting patterns on online betting firm Betfair were reported in the match where seeded Davydenko lost to Martin Vasallo Arguello, in the Sopot Open in Poland last August.  Davydenko was 6-2 3-6 1-2 down when he retired injured in the match.  Betfair took £3.5 million in bets on this single match.  They were forced to void all bets on the match because of the irregular betting patterns.

This prompted the ATP to launch an inquiry into whether the match was fixed. However, Davydenko’s lawyer, Frank Immenga has said about his client, “They should clear him any moment now.”

This is now almost certain to happen and Mr Immenga has stated his client may seek compensation.  “We’re certainly looking at it.  The whole inquiry has been a farce,” said Mr Immenga.

It was known that Davydenko had a foot injury before his match with Arguello.

The inquiry into the match between Davydenko and Arguello is the longest to be held into allegations of match-fixing in tennis.

Mr Immenga commented on the inquiry by saying: “They have phone records dating back from August last year and have come up with nothing.  I don’t know what they are doing – they are obviously fishing in the dark.

“It is a very sad story because Nikolay has been badly damaged by all of this.”

The match-fixing crisis - which has engulfed men’s tennis - has seen 15 players claim they have been approached to fix matches and four Italian players have been punished for betting on tennis matches.

Since the ATP’s crackdown, however, it seems the allegations of match-fixing and betting in the men’s game has significantly been reduced, although in the past month one match has attracted the attention of the authorities.

Davydenko is the most high-profile player to be caught up in match-fixing allegations but he will now be cleared due to lack of evidence.

The Tennis Integrity Unit set up by the ATP will present a full report into the scandal of match-fixing in tennis during the French Open Championships in late May. 

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